The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-04-07
BLANCHE SLOCUM'S
OF GERMANY
AS It IS TODAY
Continued from First Page,


/ had seen my musical career IN
Germany cut short and the twelve
German operas / had learned made
useless by war between Germany
and the United States-but because
my four and a half years in Ger
many enabled me to become the
bearer Of dangerous news Espe-
cially dangerous was my knowledge
Of the rebellious spirit among Ger
mans and their dwirdling hatred for
America.
/ had seen bread riots. had
known Of women shouting in the
streets of Berlin, "Down with warl
Down with the government" and
scattering pamphlets filled with anti
government propaganda. had re-
peatedly heard soldiers exclaim, 20,
to be taken prisoner. Anything to
get out Of Germany" | had seen
rich Germans take sides with the
Social Democrats. Over and over
again, l had heard working people
say, "Nice, isn't it? for our masters
to sit in their chair5 and tell us to
fight it out; we're the dogs and the
slaves"
Reward Offers Posted.
l had seen notices posted up In
Berlin Offering 5000 marks reward
for evidence leading to the convic-
ton Of any one speaking against the
government. The proclamation con-
cluded with, "Sad to say, many Of
Gnl1
gray uniforms" Many Germans had
said to me, "You don't know how
people feel; we don't dare open our
mouths; If we did we'd be put in
jail" More than once soldiers had
told me they hoped Germany would
lose the war, they hated the govern
ment so.
This was news. 1t still is. It re-
fleets a very recent change of feeling
and almost as recent Is the change of
feeling toward America. ] well re-
member the taunt, American am
munition" in all the papers and in
common talk. / remember the ha-
tired it engendered. Early in the war
/ often heard such expressions as
my boy had been killed by an
American bomb and / hope / live to
get revenge" A popular play in
Berlin showed German-American
making ammunition to kill his
brother in Germany. President VIII
son was cartooned wading in blood
with money bags on his back. In
one cartoon he was kissing a China
man.
Americans Called Beasts.
When we entered the war the
papers called US beasts, and said we
we're in for revenue Only. and the
German people hated us because our
action prolonged the war, but It
seemed to me that much Of their talk
was insincere. II changed enormous
ly as time went on.
Prof. Bonn, who had taught in
America, came out with articles on
the American point Of view regard
ing submarine warfare. and a Ger
man woman said In my hearing: IF
one reads those articles, one under
stands the Americans and feels Diff
ferently toward them" One day I
was entertained in the home Of q
German baroness; another baroness,
wife of great army chief, said in
my hearing there: Isn't II shocking
that Germans complain as they do
about the military? Isn't 1t strange
that here and there all over Germany
people insist that Wilson is an ideal
ist?"
Sees Change In Feeling.
Evidently this trend of thought was
nothing rare; l myself had met many
Germans who saw the truth about
Wilson and confessed openly that
they saw It Before l left Berlin /
sometimes found groups where people
spoke out with remarkable freedom,
and on one occasion q German lady
actually said, ''Hurrah for America"
at a tea to which and other
Americans had been invited. 1 heard
a great lady own up to a cordial
admiration for Wilson and say: at
is the ambition OF my life to take
my whole family to America after
the war and stay there"
A German professor said to me:
I'D give anything in the world to go
to America and live there the rest Of
my days" / heard such sentiments
expressed by many. AS soon as the
war is over we shall go to America"
they said. and spoke Of what a fine
man Wilson was"
When we entered the war it
seemed to me that the feeling among
Germans was not rage but grief.
Hosts of Germans had relatives over
here and had been taught to love
America. Now, to their sorrow,
even America was against them. In
addition they realized that the de-
tested war would be prolonged. They
were not at first afraid of our SOL
diers; the press had said: "The sub
marines will take care of then"
But from the outset they dreaded
American resources and American
money