The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-02-21
going into the army-a very vain
effort. The biggest mistake we can
make is to hold our enemy so cheap

was notified his class was about to
be called to the colors. He promptly
cut down on what little food he had
been eating. In three weeks he was
a living skeleton. But they accepted
him.
Toward the close of 1917, every
body in Berlin thought peace was at
hand. l forget the exact date, but
remember the occasion very we'll. The
Reichstag was in session. Unofticially
it had been given out that peace-a
German peace-was assured that aft
ernoon.
81 shall never forget the spectacle
that followed. All Berlin burst out
into hysterical tears. everybody quit
work. The streets were packed with
people-all crying. Of course, it was
a delusion, but when the people real
lied it there was no violent reac-
ton.
Toward the end of my stay in Ber-
lin l would often ask the women if
they thought peace was coming. One
and all as a rule would throw up their
hands and exclaim, 'Ach! We will
never have peace again. This fighting
business will last forever!'
A Division of Opinion.
"Another mistake we made is our
belief that Germany is not as unit
in this war. I tell you there is no
such thing as division of any kind
between the people and the Govern
ment. In Berlin they laughed at
President Wilson for making the dis
tinction that he was warning upon
the German autocracy and not the
German people. And then they would
turn the table on me by saying:
"'We are not fighting you Ameri-
cans; it is that President Of yours
who has led you blind ones into war.
On the day that the President de-
clared war on Germany I was scared
to death-actually trembling with
fear. So that when young Ameri-
can boy called on me that afternoon
to 20 to a concert it was with the
greatest reluctance 1 permitted my
self to be persuaded into going.
eve had hardly sat down in
street car, when, in spirit Of brava-
do, he began to talk in English until
a stranger sitting next to him whis-
pered in English in our ears, Fools!
This is no place to speak English.
It was a timely warning, and my
friend Immediately desisted.
3'But the funny part of the trip
happened when We changed cars and
went into the subway. A short, fat
Young German was sitting opposite,
reading the news of our entrance into
the war. He laid his paper down on
his knee, looked up and groaned
aloud:
"sBeleef me, l wish I vas in der
Choonited Stavds terday.'
Always Watched By Police.
II was so firmly established as a
student, and because of my name
and my ability to speak German, l
probably escaped many annoyances
and insults. Nevertheless, I was al
ways under the eyes of the police,
and they handled me without gloves
on the occasions that / was obliged
to report.
"All Berlin is in what call neu-
rotic state of mind because of the
war" Miss Marzynski went on. Lack
of food and heat and the killing and
wounding of it's friends and relatives,
and four years Of wartime conditions
in general have given everyone fly
off-the-handle' temperament.
"At home, in the street cars, at the
theatres, voices are pitched high.
Violent alterations break out be-
tween friends over some mere trife.
Everyone seemed representative,
ready to resent any fancied grievance;
and all Jump at the slightest chance
to get their minds off the war.
so that the theaters and concerts
are simply packed, and the race track
is black with people every day. All
amusements are running full blast
and at the urge of the government.
''Soldiers on furlough make up a
large part of the audiences, but they
never appear in uniform. l supposed
it was to keep the stay-at-homes'
mind off the war and to keep secret
the location of the various regiments.
1T was at the races that saw this
feverish nervousness let loose. Peo-
pie go literally frantic over each race.
ANY change in the German point
of view as to the right or wrong in
their part of the war? Not a par