The Washington times., 1918-03-27
THE WHITE MORNING
By GERTRUDE ATHERTON

, alternative, were driven within, and
placed under a heavy guard.
1t was not safe to venture too close
to the still exploding and blazing
structures, but It was quite apparent
| oughly.
The fire brigades were busy. and
there was little danger OF Munich, one
| of the most beautiful and romantic
cities in the world, falling a victim
to the revolution. Many lives had been
sacrificed, no doubt.
The women night workers In the
factories, fifteen minutes before the
signal from the Frauenkirche, had
pretended to strike, seized all the
hand arms available and shot down
the men who attempted to control
them. The men In the secret had
gone with them and were already
about their business. -
The officers In charge OF the class
of 1920 were too few in number TO
make any resistance, too dazed to
grasp a situation for which there was
no precedent; they. had surrendered to
the Amazons grimly awaiting their
decision.
Quickly Dispose Of Men.
The poor boys in the Kadetten-
korps had run home to their mothers.
and. finding them in the streets, had
either taken refuge In the cellars or
Joined those formidable warriors In
gray. promising obedience and yield
ing their arms.
Other aeroplanes were darling
about the city. The greater number
were driven by women, directing the
FIRE brigades, but now and again a
man, whose monoplane had been In
his private shed. few upward primed
for battle.
After a few parleys, he retired to
await events, one only shooting q
woman and crashing to earth riddled'
with avenging bullets.
Such airmen as were in Munich
were too callous to dangers OF all
sorts, too accustomed to the horrors
Of the battlefield, to take this out
pouring OF women and mere civilians
seriously; even in spite of the e<plo-
sions, which, to be sure, denoted an
appalling amount OF destruction
Any attempt to sally forth on foot
and ascertain the extent OF the dam
age was met by bayonets and pistols
in the hands OF brigades OF women
whose like they had never seem In
Germany. They inferred they were
Russians who had managed to cross
the frontier with the Internal sub
tlety of their race. At all events.
they would be. eSterminated with no
effort OF men lacking authority to
act.
Several of the women few out into
the country, but except where people
were gathered about smoking ruins
the land was at peace: there was no
sign Of rally TO the blue and white
nag OF Bavaria, no sign Of an aveng-
ing army.
In the course of the morning there
were hundreds OF these syiators dart
ing about Bavaria. descending to'tell
the peasants or shopkeepers OF the
small towns that Germany was in
revolution. the armies deprived OF all
support. and that the republic had
been proclaimed in Berlin.
The social democrats had pos
session of the Reichstaggebaude,
and every official head still
affixed to its shoulders was as help
less-a Tuning prisoner in its own
house-as II those arrogant brains
had turned to porrfdge.
Every royal and official residences
throughout the empire was surround
ed by an army OF women with fixed
bayonets, and before noon every un-
submissive member of the old regime
would be in either q fortress or the
common prison.
This news Gisela heard at 10 o'clock
when she returned to the wireless
station on the Maximilianeum- The
Berlin news came from Marietta.
King Is a virtual Prisoner
In Munich the Odd King had been
returned to the Red palace which he
had occupied during the long years
OF his fathers regency, and ii too
was surrounded by an alert but ST.
lent army.
The other royal palaces were
guarded in a similar manner, but the
women had no intention OF killing
these kindly Wittelsbachs II IL could
be avoided. All they asked OF them
was to keep quiet, and keep quiet
they did.
After all, they had reigned a thous-
and years. Perhaps they were tired.
Certainly they always looked bored
to the verge Of dissolution
The Munich Socialists had taken
possession of the Residenz in which
10 proclaim their victory and the
new republic. and by this time were
crowdiig the Hofgarten and adjoin-
ing streets.
They were unarmed and many OF
the women moved constantly among
them, ready at a seconds notice to
dispose summarily OF any man who
even scowled his antsgonism to the
OF monarchy.
Six hundred women, according 10
the prearranged program, and under !
GiseIa's direct supervision, were turn /
ing such outlying buildings as COM |
manded the highways leading toward
the frontiers into Notifications.
They had little apprehension that
their sons and fathers, their husbands
and lovers, would fire on the women I
to whom they had brought home |
food from their rations these two \
years past, or that the general staff |
would risk the demolition OF the !
cities OF Germany.
But they took no chances. know !
ing that an attempt might be made !
to rush them.
Men stricken with "Brainstorm."
In that case obey were determined |
to remember only that their husbands I
and sons. fathers and lovers, were !
bent upos their final subsection. (
Moreover. the term 'brainstorm' had ,
long since found It's way from the !
United States to Germany. and the .
women thought It singularly appIica- /
Bile to their former masters when in :
a state OF baffled rage.