Evening star., 1919-10-05

- Il Il u Il
Unter den Linden into Wilhelmstrasse,
one of the most active street corners
in Berlin, I saw an old man tot-
tering. He would have fallen to the
street had he not leaned exhausted
against a wall. A captain of the Med
ical Corps sensed that the man was
not drunk, but was exhausted from
another cause. He rushed to his side
and took his pulse. He turned to me
and said: 1.-THE man is starving to
DEATH" though his personal appear
ance would not indicate his privation.
He seemed we'll dressed and what
linen he wore was clean and tidy.
At that moment the man looked up
at us. Tears were in his eyes. He
muttered, "Kein geilt. klein. brodt."
mo money, no bread" We gave him
25 marks and left him. Meantime q
crowd had gathered around him.
Among the remarks made to us was
this in effect: you Americans can
see what will happen to US II you do
not soon send US food"
Meantime conditions on the east side
of Berlin and in the northern sections
where the poorer peoples lived were
reported as miserable. Everywhere the
people looked sallow and underfed.
Often one would see small children
with "rickets" or ankles bent. con-
dition developing from undernourish-
ment. Our mission often was visited
by persons who generally claimed re-
1ation to Americans, or who said they
were American, in an effort to Sc
cure the right to buy from our stores.
We referred all cases to the Ameri-
can Red Cross. which had its Offices
at first in the Friedrichstrasse and
later in the American embassy in Will
helms platz. and whose function was
mainly the feeding of our Russian
prisoners.
The Berlin press, meantime, was
loud in publishing promises of food
relief from America. Food stories
were always leaders for the hungry
Berliners. In this element of promise
there was a far greater tolerance of
Americans in Berlin. Promised food
and a great deal of faith in President
Wilson's fourteen points inclined the
Berliners often to consider US warmly.
shall never forget one occasion
when was about to enter the hotel
with some brother officers. One Of
group Of young Germans called at us.
"America-the greatest country in the
world" The manner in which he said
this convinced us he meant what he
said, THANK YOU" 1t was the only
said THANK YOU" 1t was the only
time that strangers in the street had
ever said anything as friendly. l had
been called "Amerikanischer Schwein-
hund" (American pig-dog) and had
often enough felt the sting of the
silent insult from casual passersby
to experience q glow of feeling on
this one and only occasion of show
of friendly feeling in the street.
Some time in March we attended
function at the American embassy In
Wilhelms Platz that made US proud
we were Americans. 1t was simple
ceremony-the presentation Of dis
tinguished service cross to an Ameri-
can. Maj. Sylvester, who had led his
battalion over the top, reduced sew
eral machine gun nests and advanced
four kilometers against the enemy's
fire.
Gen. Harries. senior officer, made
the presentation, while the American
personnel in Berlin, allied officers. a
few Red Cross women doing tempo
rary duty there then and quartet
Of American women who had worked
at the embassy during the war wit
messed the presentation.
While the presentation speech was
being made, out of the window we
saw fle of gray clad soldiers pa
rading down the Wilhelmstrasse be-
hind their noisome band. Here was
an impression indeed, a decoration for
valor shown against the enemy, who
just then was sounding his trumpets
us though he, were the victor and we
the vanQuished.
This ceremony was only surpassed
in In, mn ~ q uco onA tp,pra cctvopouo hy