The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-17
BERLIN IS FILLED
WITH PROPHECIES
OF FIERY FUTURE
Hun Capital VeritabIe Para
disc of Prophets Who Fore
cast Revenge, Revolution
and Collapse of Values.

BERLIN March /; MANY reasons
have been given for the fact that
prophet is without honor in his own
country; but one reason alone win suf-
flee II the country be Germany. It's be-
cause his efficiency rates .00O01.
Right now this town is the paradise
of prophets Everybody's doing 1t, and
that's much more thrilling than having
only one forecaster on the jon, for in
the latter event all there is to do Is
to sit and walt until II can be seen
what really develops But with sew
ticating all over the place extremely
lively little prophecy competitions re-
suit, and it Is not an uncommon thing
to find three or four, or even more,
soothsayers comparing the relative
strengths of their predictions, each
championing loudly the merits of his
own product.
Under these circumstances the
searcher for mere facts is confronted
with countless theories of what is to
happen, overwhelmed with vivid paint
ings of the future-as lurid, frequently,
as the most advanced futurism-GT
plunged into the darkest gloom by
whispered warnings of tremendous i'm
pending events.
While there is an endless variety of
prospects held forth--the next three
wars, the black rebellion in the United
States, and Germany's certain revenge
upon A, b or G, for example-the pro-
fessional prophets may be subdivlded
into two groups. First, and more nu
merous are those who know all about
the next revolution in Germany and
those who can tell you all about the
rate of exchange for one month, TWO
months, or three months from now.
Take in outline, an ordinary days
crop of this stuff.
Schedule Made Out.
Nothing about the Baltic troops, -
said the news stand agent as he
punched the 16 different issues The
government keeps 1t out because they
know the Iron divisions coming back
| to put in a new government.
Aha" chartered the barber. 'iDidn'
/ tell you? Hindenburg came and the
nonarchists start getting ready. They
and not the Spartacists will start the
next trouble, just as ! told you.
Nonsense, said the newspaper ma man
Spartacists have their schedule all made
out Just as soon as coal gives out and
| food gives out--the Spartacists are go
| ing to raid everything in sight. They
won't kill the foreigners, but they IL
take all their clothes and money.
| But things are going TO improve,
said lesser government official Ger
many's just about sold out of all her
wares now, and as soon as they've
bought everything with the mark away
down, the English and American banks
will let the mark go up again
| Don't buy marks yet whispered an
| Americanzed Pole, who was inteEned
in Germany almost year, They're 80
to the dollar today, but in a few days
can get 40 for you. That's the bottom
limit. Then theyll start going up, and
in April they'll be worth 10 cents at
least"
eyes. just hold on to marks another
two or three months, and Germany
be bankrupt and they'll be worth just
SO much paper" sneered another lad
wiser" Of communistic sympathies.
Move to Suburbs
Move out of the Adlon," was the
| tip of another Of the same species II
win be one of the first places the reVo-
lutionists go after. Move out to the
| suburbs"
But if you do" said Charlie, the bar
tender, you won't get any heat OIL
any light or any food. Stick where yot
are. None of these birds know what
they're talking about"
| Charlie thinks and speaks Ameri-
can" He says the men who Tough
behind him when he got his three
wounds age getting their horse sel&f
back. that they're ready To work, anC
they're tired of monkey business, EX
cept for a little tussing here and there
he thinks Germany will be quiet unit
the next election, and then he and ms
kind are going to see that strong
government is elected,
Charlie differs from most of thu
prophets because he talks about doins
1. something for his country.