Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-12-05

udu dlWdyS DttH DtIOIt.
On our way out the Charlottenburger
Chaussee we passed the kaiser and the
kaiserin driving to Berlin from Pots
dam at about sixty miles an hour, and
there were other indications of ac-
] tivity, but we attached little impOr-
tance to them.
When we reached Potsdam, how
ever, and saw thousands of tons Of
coal heaped up between the railroad
! tracks which were ordinarily kept
clear, we realized that preparations for
war were being made In earnest and
we stopped to consider whether it
would not be better after all to return
home. Such was our ignorance of war
| that we decided that, even though it
were not advisable TO motor in Bel
GUM and France, where we were
bound, we might safely plan a tour in
the Black forest in Germany.
We had left Berlin late in the after
noon. In the evening, when we arrived
at Gotha, we found that the younger
walters in the restaurants and hotels
had already left and that the older re-
serves expected a general call the next
day.
The next morning we started for
Frankfort. AS we passed through viii
lage after village, war preparations be-
came more and more evident. Measures
were being taken everywhere to arouse
enthusiasm-young men gathered on
school steps were singing patriotic
songs, students were marching and
speeches were being made in the mar
ket places.
About five o'clock that afternoon we
arrived in Frankfort. The whole place
was in a fever of excitement over the
mobilization posters and their resent
nent against the French was being
aroused by ''extras," which were
handed out without charge, announc-
ing that the French had already
dropped bombs on the railroad at
Nurnberg and that French officers in
autos had oyer-ridden the borders. !
The ridiculous statements about
French flyers dropping bombs on the
railroad at Nurnberg had not the
slightest foundation, of course.
The older people who had lived
through the war of 1870 had interested
audiences for once while they related
past experiences and gave advice as to
what preparations TO make. A posi-
bility of food shortage seemed to be
uppermost in all minds, and the gro
cariac ,r-ara storr,od With 90 cor Inv
ers. Salt suddenly jumped to 70 cents
a pound and other things in proper
ton.
On Sunday, August 2, all the gaso-
line in the country was Communicated,
and we heard of many American tour
lists being put out of their cars in the
cities and even on country roads, no
matter how inaccessible TO trains they
might be. We accordingly decided to
stow our car away in an old wagon |
shed attached to hotel and sought to |
return to Berlin by train.
At the railway station there was
such a tremendous crowd that it was
quite impossible to get anywhere near
the ticket office, and anyway no prom |
Use could be given as to trains to Ber- |
lin.
Trunks and bags were piled high IN |
every available space and it was
months before that enormous pile of |
baggage was finally sorted out.
We decided TO defer our effort to |
reach Berlin until Monday. since there
seemed no hope of getting away that
day.
On Monday morning, the streets
were filled with excited crowds de-
stroying every sign with a French
word on it and looking for spies. The
papers had announced that the coun-
try was full of French spies, women
as well as men. / saw the crowd stop
an automobile, take woman out and
literally tear her clothes to shreds be-
fore the police succeeded in rescung
her from the mob and took her TO the
police station. The general SUPPOSE
lion was that all the man spies were |
as women and the first
hing the mob did was to pull out hair
pins to see whether the hair was real.
vi MOuudy evening, we uldudSeu W |
edge our way into the last through
rain to Berlin. We were side-tracked
times to allow troop
rains TO pass through, and we were re-
luired to keep our windows closed so
hat no enemy passenger could drop
)ombs on the bridges we crossed. 1t |
vas hot August night and the lack
If ventilation was most oppressive.
Our compartment was crowded with
ulcers on their way TO join their regi-
nents and very grand and important
hey felt in their new field-gray uni
orms which may have long been put
way in moth balls for just this oppor-
unity, but which took the German peo-
lie as well as the allies completely by
urpriSe.
At Naumberg, which is about half
way between Frankfort and Berlin, a |
ompany of soldiers boarded the train
nd guarded the corridors while a nom
officer questioned the
passengers.