The Washington times., 1918-04-17

Field gray aIrplanes and field gray
Zeppel.ns sweep. over the German
capital. Field gray trucks loaded win
cannon or shells or supplies runois
through its streets. Now and then an
officers field gray automobile streahs
past But all the conveyances that
iack the field gray hue Of military
service are in difficulties. Precisely
at the time when Germany most needs
an efficient transportation system IT
faces a dire shortage OF coal. OF gaso
lene- OF rubber. OF horses. and OF the
materials and skilled labor requisite
for upkeep.
1t is true that my train from Berlin
10 Munich arrived fairly on time, but
this was exceptional, and Oh. the dis
comforts. Army officers aboard that
train sat UP all night, so few were the
sleeping cars. BY day many passen-
gers stood. Especially in winter
Germans find it wise TO obey the gov
ernment's exhortation, Don't travel,
as the cars are often unheated.
At Christmas time and PfinE
CGermany's substitute for old home
week. only soldiers are permitted to
use railroads coming from the fronts.
And whoever journeys from one state
to another must have his luggage
gone through, as the law forbids his
carrying food. Moreover, every pas
senEer must buy a zuschlag (wsr tax
suIplement) in addition TO his ticket.
Germans' Mail Much Delayed.
While the parcel post service has
been severely cut down, the woma n
who brings your mail to the door u
much less a distributor OF ancient doc
uments than. you expect. though sol
diers' letters are now censored, prUba
! blv as a precaution against muffin
and are sometimes held up wholesale
for weeks lest ncwrof military impor-
tsuce leak out. As in all warning Coun
tries. postal rates are high.
! Street transportation. once so eTc.l-
lent I'm Berlin. il today a griet. Tin"
magnificent automobiles dashed to thr
/ front at the outbreak OF war and have
not returned Trolley cars are f"v
and far between and frightfuliy
. crowded. Women drive them. Women
serve as conductors. and queer enough
they look. with their masculine caps
and their feminine earrings and In"
. half fatherly, half mOtherly car" with
which they help women aboard and
..
( A few tsxis still run--the very Few
officially allowed tires but private
automobiles have vanished. Who
ever had two automobiles Was re
: CURED 10 surrender one to tho army
. The other is now out OF commission
for lack oFiires and gasoline. Army
autos employ alcohol. and US"d tc
! wonder il the governments diligence
, n Collecting apples Was not {" b'
accounted for by some process 81
deriving alcohol for automobiles b.
diSIiliing cider.
Wealthy Ride In Street Cars.
/ The richest Eerliners now rid" Il
trolley cars and in the shockinglH' over
|. crowded trains Of the Berlin subway
! Great singers go to the opera Il!
trolley car. People with tickets 10
the best seats at the thester SO b.
trolley car. Thousands more walk
A few horse-drawn omnibuses still
survive in Berlin-faTe now raise,
from TO ~ pfennigs. As no ~
pfennig coin exists. you pay j
pfenniEs and receive a nickel dlBl
marked pa pfennigs. This. plus
rfennIgs. pays your way next tins
II is a nuisance. OF course. but horse
drawn vehicles OF every sort operat
under difficulties In Berlin as horSe
grow scarcer and scarcer.
At the outbreak OF war the arm
took the best. For a long time there
after a familiar sound at night i
Fer in was the tremendous clatteT q
ho:s.s' honfS as drove nn drove f"oi
ted off 10 the railws! sts'i"ns. Ont