The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-08-21

Prepa'ing to celebrate the fifth anniver
Gtry OF the world war In 1919 Berlin
particularly quiet and sad during the pas
few months. was to make a supreme eff
fort and appear gay on that day.
Severa. weeks before Berlin had cele
Grated the thirtyfirst anniversary o
Kaiser Wilhem's reign. The faithful ele
ment % the Berlin population participated
IN tho national holiday. Aside from tn,
military and the police. and the merchants
OF neutral countries. there were but few
men in the city by the Spree.
out of the quiet homes, mourning Their
dead, women OF all walks in life came into
the streets only :hc wives Of the bankers
end the war contractors and the ladies
having free access 20 the Court remained
at homo.
Tho women came In groups from all
parts of the city. moving towards the
Tiergarten. where they formed a veritable
Eea OF heads.
An order for this meeting was issued by
p Save the Nation Committee" The gov
ernment did not know who the members
OF the committee We're. but the German
people some how learned that such a com
nittcc had been formed.
Multitudcs of Women.
Early in the morning the place desg-
mated for the meeting and the adjoining
alleys were cilled with women represent
Berlin from tho poorly clad servant girls
ond dressnus,kors to the rich shopkeeper' S
widow.
Against tho bright summer background
of the foliage In the park stood out the
multitude OF women. old and young, and
little children in mourning. who gathered
there 10 celebrate the Day of Sorrow
A woman assembled the platform where
the OF chestra usually played. She motioned
to the crowd ond suddenly all became
silent. And amid this ominous silence
some of the women cane upon the plat
form 9nd made speeches which sounded
rather as g.oans and sobs and complaints
OF tho souls OF the exhausted women. The
women complained ~ the high cost of
necessities, OF the laclf Of bread Then a
picture Of the terrible losses of millions
Of men was painted ty ono of the speak
ers Size told o. the futile sacrifices OF
millions OF human beiugs-of the German
losses In France and in Russia. And as
'he women care forward. dressed in
blacl. relating tHei- experiences. their
wordg resounded We the ringing of
funeral bells.
The women hcpt repeating:-
~ lost my husband"
"Mv brothers were killed"
II lost my father"
'Ny sons were killed"
And these soh= and groans Of the widows
and orphans sank into the souls of the
more fortunete women in the crowd whose
relatives had only been wounded or cap
tured by the Ai.cs.
B-enh Up nir.- Meeting.
Gro Of the leaders among the women
ss III that cnly II small portion of the Ger
man anS l.Ist-!nn women had gathered
there If I'll their sobs were gathered,
n al Their tears were collected, the whole
world would have heard them. end all
.hc ponds and canals IN the Berlin park
could not hold :hc tears which tens OF
r1illlcns os women. sisters and mothers,
we're shedding every day and every night.
p1orrntnE the Gcad.
The policemen. OF the reserves. for the
most part wounded in the war, listened
O. nrst with good natured smiles. But
;,ttle by !.ttln. Their stern faces began to
witch Something glistened in the eyes
OF those who raced death fearlessly upon
the battle folds. This did not last long.
soon ,usricious r3en appeared among the
people and worked their way toward the
,peakore \ few women in gaudy hats,
yi.a printed faces--the eyes and ears OF
the .;s,maY govcrnment-rushed off TO the
neaYcs. telephone stations.
Scon the police authorities appeared In
III. par;t. Then soldiers arrived. without
iayonaGs. They were led by several COM