Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
"Six Months in
Hell and Back"
German Socialists VietOs after
Six Months Trauci Through
out The Empire.

BY IGNATIUS KINAST.
Copyright. international News Bureau.

sleep, and the people who cared to go
to sleep had been accustomed to retire
amidst an atmosphere that was full of
various noises and sounds. But now.
beginning Il, T.. NJ. the city was SO
still that every sharp and unusual
noise or sound penetrated through the
still air with shrillncss that sends a
feeling of horror through the brains
OF those who have not yet become ac-
customcd to the wartime Berlin night
air The trains had in the prcwar days
reached and left the station with even
more frequency. but no ono had even
taken notice of their sounds in the
night. Before leaving for Germany,
friends who had made short visits to
Berlin had complained TO me in Swift
zerland that Berlin nights had become
ghostly and that people heard unusual
sounds at the dead OF night
Another thing that had been repeated
TO me before leaving Zurich for Ger
many was that travellers had told me
that the streets OF Berlin were full OF
cripples. and that nearly every other
person you met on the street was Il
cripple. The day after my arrival this
sight panied RE too. and at once
soon found out that there was moth
ing unusual about these sights. There
are the same number OF peace time
civilian cripplcs in Berlin at present as
there were during the prcwar days.
But in the prcwar days the streets
were filled with alert and quick moving
healthy men aud women Now they
have become absolutely denudcd of
young men. The people do not fire.
quent the streets, and those who use
the streets are SO intrm that the pre-
war civilian crippics stood up sharply
before the very thin background.
But the sights that horriticd me the
most were the long and weary lines
before the provision stores.
In Food Line at !" 4. VI.
My comrades urged me to go out in
the street early in the morning and
watch the women that gather in long
lines before the stores. which do not
open their doors before o'clock in
the morning. Usually at o'clock in
the morning. tho housewives or their
young daughters. or old men. take
their places in the line. and OH the
average they wait patiently four hours
before the doors arc opened. Those
still another three or four hours before
their turn comes TO enter the store
Tho coming OF your turn to enter the
store is not guarantee that YOU will
DC PROVIDED with 1000 allotted accord
ing to your food card. ON entering
the store the storckecpcr might tell
YOU that butter is sold out or some
otAc" provision which YOU wish TO pur-
chase Is all sod out. Most OF the riots
are caused through tn sc 'SGid OUT
notice ON returning 20 m% hotel
very late. sometimes after u long con-
ference with friends. have often seen
women taking their places in front Of
provision stores as carly n > o'clock
in the morning. Al first the police Of
hcialS attempted to discourage these
carly gatherings in from: OF provision
stores. but found il impossible to dis
pcrse the crowds. Now they permit
them 10 appear as carly as they choose
ana policemen arc assigned before food
stores as early as even O'Clock in tho
morning to maintain order.
In Berlin | attended many secret
conferences with men and women OF
trade unions, and also with men of
fratcrnal lodges.
As my assignment; implicitly demands
that | present what the Germans are
saying and thinking, I must coniinc
inNsc'f 10 the views expressed to me
by these thousands of men and women
Vet ] find il very difficult 10 present
these without conveying my own CON
cluSior.
Things said to me. il reported even
without giving tho names of friends
would give clues TO the secret agents
of the German government. and they
would trace whereof the information
had been secured.
For instance, made many visits to
many North German industrial centcrs
interviewed innumerablc naval and
miiitary officers Of all ranks. most OF
whom sought me OF their own free will
and accord. Therefore. too intimate
report of certain naval mutiny that
took place at certain German naval
base may east the suspicion Of the au-
thoritics at certain set of men who
are already regarded as antigovcrn-
mental. have learned that other
visitors To Germany. on leaving the
country. had to he extremely rcticcnt
on speaking of their Impressions while
travelling in that country, for fear Of
involving innocent German friends in
unpleasant experiences. For that rca-
son Will not he definite in discussing
any phase OF the subject which | am
recording.
Kaiser Rchukcd.
In the German rratcrnaI circles tho
Crown Prince OF Germany the very
high military or naval authorities. and
even the Kaiser himself arc openly
ostracizcd. | learned in Hamburg, and
later had il repeatedly verified in eight
other German ccntcrs. tina, during his
the habit of paying visits 10 different
fratcrnal lodges. ana at these places
the lodges had adjourned pcrcmptorily
III anticipation of the all -highcSt'S visit
only those Germans who are affiliated
with the fratcrnal organization OF
which the Kaiser Is a dcvout member
can realize the significance of this re-
buke. As the significance OF this act
on tho part Of these bodies can he rn-
dcrstoOd still less i'm other countries
] Will pass over this subject at once.
tnicarncd Arc German Socialists,
VIII now attempt to convey the
views OF North German Socialists
The majority Of our German Social
lists, found. are very little different
from their prewar days. In the Reriin
district tho Socialist. | found, has even
Travelled backwards.
On returning from Germany | made
this observation to German and Ger
man Swiss Socialists at Zurich. and am
sorry 10 confess that incurred their
cnmity l am certain that other COM
radcS in other countries will deno,incc