Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-01
LENIENCY TOENEMY
AMAZES BERKS MAN
Pro-American in Germany
Would Be Shot at Once,
Says Shearer
JUST LEFT PRUSSIA
Kaiser Intends to Make U. S. Pay
Entire Cost of War, He
Asserts

heedinE, Ia, April 1.--Christopher
a. Shearer, OF Berks County. who re-
turned this month from Germany. de-
scribed conditions in Germany after
forty-two months of war in a speech he
fore the Rotary Club. The most amaz-
ing things to Mr.. shearer on his return,
he said. are the almost unlimited free
dom of speech permitted here, and that
war, instead of making the United
States a nation in disorder has reduced
the amount OF crime.
"A pro-American In Germany, sup
posing such an individual could he
found" Mr.. Shearer said. would he
shot on the spot Here pro-Germans
say print and do almost what they
please. Germany intends to make the
United States pay the entire cost of the
war"
MIR Shearer said
SIX years ago J was sent by an
american firm to its subsidiary COM
pany's plant near Magdeburg, in Saxony.
lhen came the break and ] applied at
once TO leave the country. / was Illegally
delayed, and about three months after
| the break ] received an answer to my
application. 1t stated that { would
| not be allowed to go home. and that
the reasons would not be impaired to
me Exactly four months after the
! !
| able TO cross the border into Denmark.
The military power despises the civil
government and seems to regard IL only
as a necessary evil
"rhe treatment of Americans doubt
less was determined by policy and was
| carried out under minute instructions.
Elrst'came n military order prohibiting
foreigners to hold executive positions in
factories. Then we came under the
regulations for alien enemies. I was con-
fined within the city limits aud had to
report at the police station twice daily.
The dominant class in Germany
! never did like anything that was liberal
and likely to interfere with its plans.
| Before the war there was occasional
grumbling and sneering at our policy
| OF hands of America Before the war
| there existed the strange spectacle OF
America on the one hand trying to be
| fair and neutral in the face of certain
canning evidence and on the other
America. They would shake their fingers fingers
at my. face and say, you wait TIL we
get through here; America will be
next
lleve they were appalled, at the enormity
| OF II at first But later old and young
| OF all classes were saying the same
| words: The swinedogs of Americans; I;
| it's good they are at the bottom of the
| sea. There will be more following
I'm the fall OF 1915 an article appeared
| IN the Magdeburg paper saying that
! there was difference of opinion regard
| ing the taking up of relentless U-boat
| warfare on all commerce. but that Il
| certain faction of leading naval men
argued thus: BY an indiscriminate tor
| pedoing of all ships we will bring Eng
land to her knees. She will have
TO give us her entire navy, and
with II we will easily take America and
| make her pay the entire expense of the
war l asked an intelligent German
what he thought of the article, He said,
| Fine
THE masses of the people have no
| will of their own. There Is much COM
plant about the miserable living condi-
tions and the poor women and common
| there is no chance for anything like
that The big military machine has
them ground in the dirt.
In the winter and spring, when the
years crops are consumed, the ratIons
are so low that the people become des-
perate. Then there are riots. which are
promptly crushed by the military.
| Germany doesn't waste anything.
! EVERYBODY works for the cause with all
his or her might. All food is scarce.
| What is still worse, living supplies of
all kinds are hardly to be had at any
price, Women wash without soap, and
the chemicals they use as a soap substi-
tute destroy the clothing and new outfits
cannot be purchased,
The people are fired with the idea
that II they endure little while longer
| they Will win the war and all their bur
| dens and Indebtedness will be shifted
upon the Allies, principally America.
There is no use in Americans hoping
that the German people are going TO
be sensible about anything, for they are
under absolute control of the Govern
ment. Through the press, as well as
through the clergy, the Government
holds its grip upon all human beings.
Every German preacher is a paid Gov
ernment official. There are three
churches i'm Germany--Hebrew. Catho-
lie and Protestant-but the Government
has control of all the clergy
The German people have become a
nation OF lawbreakers. Rich and poor
alike are cheating the Government and
breaking the law wherever possible
Graft and corruption is running wild in
country that was famous for the way