The Washington times., 1918-03-22

lover had been killed and her hus-
band had not. Msrietts was not Of
the type that sorrow and loss en-
noble. She was still handsome
woman, particularly IN her uniform.
but the pink and white cheeks that
once had covered her harsh bones
were sunken and s1llow.
! Her mouth was like a narrow bar
/ of iron Her eyes were half closed
as II to hide the cold and deadly flame
that never fiickered: even her nostrIls
were rigid.
All her hard and sensual nature. de-
void OF tenderness. but dissolved with
! sentimentality while the man who had
conquered her had lived. Ishe had
centered on her lover, and with his
death she was a tool to Gisela's hand
TO wreak vengeance upon the powers
that had sent him out of the world.
| Leave IL TO me-" she said grimly
E"There are not only the women in the
towns where ! have been stationed
these many years. but here In Berlin.
the wives Of men whose money Is
financing this war: men who permit
] ted the war because they hoped for
| infinite riches but are now terrified
| that they will not have a pfennig II
/ the war goes on much longer.
Men Are Intimldated.
They dare not rebel. for they would
be shot, and their fortunes be con-
nscated; their banks. industries,
shops, run by cowed minor officials.
But the women-I can count on
many OF them. Even IL their hus-
bands suspected. they would wink at
Il, willing that the women should
take the risk and they reap the ben
! EFT.
God! How they hate the war
every woman I know. Leave this
part Of Germany to me, and be pre-
pared for Schrecklichkeit.
There will be no mercy. no politics,
in this revolution-merely one end in
view. the Russians are babies but
we are not
Huns shall cease to be a term
OF opprobrium, for female Huns will
end the war"
Countess Siebuhr, whose love of
intrigue had not diminished with the
the Pan-Germanic mind than her
naive husband. had guessed-who.
moreover, had had a long and en-
tightening interview with one of her
sons but a month before-undertook
to win over many women OF her own
class who had suffered death and
disillusion.
Elsa's transfer TO a hospital in
Saxony was skillfully managed; and
LII went on a concert -sur for the
Red Cross. 1t was not worth while
to campaign in Austria; the moment
Germany was helpless she would coll |
lapse automatically.
In the course OF a month the secret
propaganda was moving with the in
visible, sinister, irresistible suction
of an undertow.
The immense army Of women who |
did Gisela's work proved themselves |
true Germans, logical products OF
generations OF discipline, concentra- |
tion. secretiveness. and a thorough |
ness. even in trifiing details, as i'm !
placable as il was automatic. They |
made few mistakes
When they discovered-and their |
SPY service was also Teutonic-that !
they had conhded in some girl or |
woman whose inherent weakness or
threatened betrayal. she dis
appeared Immediately and for ever.
Talks to Thousands of Women.
Gisela, obtaining a commission to
inspect the leading hospitals back OF
the 'front.'" visited each OF the states
in turn and addressed thousands OF |
women in groups OF two or three
hundred, gathered under the eyes OF
the police in the name OF one OF the
many war charities in which all
women were engaged.
rho lieutenants prepared these
women, and Gisela inspired. crystal
lied, cohered. The timid she shamed
with the example Of the Russian
women land German women despise
all other women; the desperate she
had little difficulty in convincing that
there was but one egress from their
agony.
Victory under her leadership II they
stood frm, was inevitable.
She had the gift OF a fiery torrent OF
speech, a clear, steady eye. when 1t
flashed and blszed, and a warm and
magnetism that convinced
the individual as we'll as the mass that
she had but one object, tho liberation
OF the miserable women OF her coun-
try. their deliverance from further
sorrow; and that she was wholly lack
ing in personal ambition.
These women had known the EnAw-
ing sensation OF unappeased appetite
for two years. They had seen old men
and women, sometimes their own, fall
In the streets dead or dying. because
they no longer had the reserves OF
men and women in their youth or
prime.
They had seen men blow out their
brains in front OF municipal buildings,
cursing the Emperor. the military
autocracy, and even the government,
always at odds with the war lords
They knew of suicides and child
murder by despairing mothers that
they hardly whispered 10 one another
Children Cry for Food.
And all the children were emacia.
ted and walled continually for food.
sleeping little, playing Ices. stunted
In their growth and threatened with
II the war went on another
year they would join the little Polish
victims on their shadowy playground.
, They feared for their dAuEh-
ters at home even as thoy feared for
their young sons in the trenches ..'
a revolution. the war might
last for years years
Victories" left them as cold as tho
bed. . The Hohenzol-
erns. the other kings and princes, the !
tunkers. would cling fast
10 their own until tho enemy allies
Law OF judgment. for surrender meant ,
heir quicker eEtermination; now, at ,
east. they were stiIl I'm the saddle. ,
ible 10 cheer their haunted eGos with
he wine OF lies. ,
II was tho Hohenzollerns and de. {