The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-28

green, there were vines and grass every where. moss on the oid masonry touch- ing the moat, and or one chimney a storlS stood in it's nest Nothing seemed to move, and other than our own voices the only sounds which I heard were the con- tented songs and chirps of the birds. Such absolute peace and quiet and such an air of solitude I have never before seen. Extradition may be what is best for the ex-Kaiser, but 1t seems to me that nothing could be greater punishment to one who so loves the boom of guns and ! the big noises of a busy world as exile l in Amerongen. I should think that he wouldsgo mad in the midst of so much | peacefulness-an unwelcome visitor with nothing to do but thinlS'
 1 '"The Holland press was very severe in it's criticism of the peace terms at first, but after a few days became more mod crate, assuming the air of the terms are l, brutally bad, but not more than the Ger | mans might have expected from their conduct of the war Threats of terms which they would have made had they | been the victors, and discussion of the Brest-Litovsk treaty. etc. The peace terms probably gained some friends for l Germany, some friends who believe she is ] doomed. Public sentiment was so much broadly during the war that many war ] pictures had q 70 be taken off the screen, | 'America's Answer being one of them; but now that the war Is over. Holland is very anxious, with the rest of the world, ! for things to be lighted in such way as l to bring aoout the best results for her. 1 self and. of course, a prosperous Ger many contributes to the prosperity of | Holland, for the two countries are essen- l tially closely associated in trade. The ! economic situation in Holland has | changed perceptibly since we arrived l Food seems fairly plentiful, though cards are still used for all the principal com modities. The bread ration is still insuff- cient for the poorer classes, but it will probably be adjusted soon. The govern | ment controls the milk supply, and uni- formed milkmen deliver it through the streets in handcarts, with two or three highly-polished cans on them. The girl. all threaten to carry a can home, they ar, so pretty
 sThe American army has established as you most probably know. base al 1 Rotterdam. It is rather unus-al for | nation at war to have a base in a neu tral country, so that at Rotterdam is o1 peculiar interest. There are aJout 25l men there, and they have built a yer. comfortable camp. Just about the tim
 some of the officers in our office left ant others were talking of leaving, the Rot  us from the siege of loneliness which W, feared was about to descend upon us. w don't feel bit far from home, now tha there are American army cars movin' around, a camp to visit and plenty o | Americans to talk to. We should hav a 100 per cent patriotic nation by the tim
 the A E. F. has told the United State what good country we have. Everyon, seems to be glad he has been in Europe but seems to think that the sooner he cal say that he was, instead of is, here, tn better The Dutch people have beer very cordial toward our soldiers. Durnis the height of the flower season, a com mittee of men conducted the soldiers a Rotterdam through the picturesque bull | fields of Amsterdam and Haarlam. A | Haarlam a special organ concert wa given for the soldiers in the big, old, Six | teenth Century cathedral, where there k | an organ of 5000 pipes, the largest il Holland. The soldiers were particular. appreciative of the trip because of tn l fact that the Dutch people had not beei called upon to do anything for them. A the opening of the Y. M. C. A. hut, i Dutch army officer in an informal speecl said: And, Tanks, if we in Holland trea you well, it will not be because lik France, we owe you hospitality. but be cause we like you And l believe tha they do really like our men,"
 In another letter, Miss Thompson toll of visit to Belgium, of attending tn 1 Belgian peace celebration, of visiting tn
 Belgian Kings palace and seeing tn King Queen and little prince, and als
 of a visit to Princess Clementine's pal ace.
 For more than month Miss Thompson
 with number of other Americans (mem
 bers of the consular service and America embassy has been in Berlin, and has wit a1I 4 1. 4 H.
 making epoch in this strife-strcken city
 fleeing with the other American refugee
 to Coblenz last week. Mrs. F. F. Thomp son received a cable from Miss Thompso a few days ago, assuring her mother o
 her safety.
 In letter written from Berlin, Mis- Thompson says: Berlin looks shabby quite in need of paint, but is yer,
 pretty city, and I find it delightful to b
 In big, busy city after fourteen month
 in that nice, big town. for The Hagu
 will always seem town. The subwa jams are almost uncomfortable her
 as they are in New York, but the street are not quite so crowded. Eyerythini looks city-like. find the shops on tn
 Unter den Linden and the I.efpzigstrass
 most interesting, but understand that tn smaller shops are rather bare, and grow
 ing barer because they can't buy at tn
 present exchange rates.
 T went last evening to dinner at tn
 Allied Officers Club, then to the opera | We heard the renowned Barbara Rem sing 'Salome'-Oscar Wilde's poem set t
 music by Richard Strauss, who conduct l ad. The best seats can be secured fo
 about 40 marks (40 cents), so expect t
 go several times each week. We are go
 ing to hear Madame Butterfly Tuesda
 and 'Tannhouser' Wednesday, and late
 Oscar Strauss very popular light opera.
 The Last Walth, with a popular Wien
 nese star, and the original 'Merr
 Widow which, am told, is delightful
 presented, in spite of it's age. MT. Drese
 the chief of the American mission, had
 breakfast at 1 o'clock today at the em
 bassy-a George Washington celebration and all the Americans connected with tn embassy and the newspaper men wer
 invited, and we had great time.
 Flood conditions are much better tha they were. We have our own supplies t 1 supplement the rather slim breakfasts and we eat lunch downtown usually a the Kaiserhof, one of the best hotels. Tn
 food is excellent, and at the present rat of the mark, We get splendid meal fo
 about 50 cents. It's shame to take som things for the dollars they cost! A higi wage for a servant is subsistence. 10
 marks per month, and 100 marks at tn
 present rate is $ We girls have bee
 fortunate in securing beautifully fur
 nshed apartment, with three bedrooms
 dining room and sitting room. maid room, bath and kitchen furnished, wit
 silver and the little linen that has sur vived the war, for 2.500 marks per mont about 25. Apartments in Berlin ar
 hopelessly scarce, but my lucky sta