The New York herald., 1921-02-20

Special Gable to TIE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright. 1891, by THE New YorK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London. Feb. 10.
That there are a great many per-
sons in Germany well able TO pay
heavy war penalties is the conclusion
arrived at by a correspondent for the
London Daily Mdil, who, after mixing
a bit In the newly rich" set, writes
from Berlin as follows:
'The citizen of every country is fond
of declaring that his own land is the
one most afflicted by the plague of the
new rich. But I really believe that
Germany can claim the first place as
far as war. millionaires are concerned.
"She calls them 'Schieber,' and they
belong to a different category from their
corresponding types In England ana
France. The 'Schieber,' looks upon
those who during the war made enough
money to keep a motor car and i've III
comfort as a kind Of intermediate class
between the fools who were ruined o.!
the war and the 'geniuses' who amassed
fortunes far greater than Is realized out
side Of Germany.
"And these fortunes are not in marks.
how the wind was blowing. invested his
war fortune in South American money,
in Spanish pesetas, In Dutch guilders, IN
Swiss francs-in short, in anything but
central European securities. The result
Is that his fortune increased threeiold
or more solely through the rise In the
rate Of exchange.
"An old friend of mine whom | met
at the Hotel Adlon here, the centre Oh
the social activities of the 'Schieber.
laughed at my amazement at the dis
play of jewelry and furs. This Is NOM
ing he said. In few days tme a
super "Schieber' is giving big pail. l
will get you an Invitation ana theh you
will see something"
"The invitation plastered with huge
coat of arms, arrived and at 10 O'Clock
on the evening appointed l entered the
hall of splendid palace not far from
the Tiergarten, formerly the abode OF a
woman who for long time enjoyed the
friendship OF a member or the royal
family. The balustrade or the great
marble staircase was lost TO sight IN
masses of fresh roses. The magniricen,
rooms. fun of antiques, were lighted
with nothing but wax candles, while
dozens of lackeys In powdered wigs, pur-
pIe plush and white stockings, lent q
musical comedy air to the scene.
But even more surprising than tne
surroundings were the people. Heavily
beiewelled girls, stout Germans Win
short thick necks bulging at the back
with rolls of fat, Poles and Russians IN
large numbers, Turks and Armenians,
Scandinavians and Spaniards-each oil
them in his way a representative type
of the national profiteer-mingieo Win
members of the German aristocracy'
whose presence Is explained by the SIM
pIe fact that the only people who can
afford to give a big ball in Germany TO-
day arc the new rich.
Needless to say. on the supper taoles
were TO be found dishes unobtainaole az
any price by an ordinary mortal In ber-
lin to-day, while the floral decorations
consisted Of French orchids priced III
the Rerliu florists at $50 marks taoou'
$50 nominal) bloom. At the cotiiion.
which Is included in the programme OF
every big dance in Germany. presents
were distributed in the shape OF silver
cigarette cases for the men ana go'o
vanity boxes for the women.
."The standard of dancing ana man man
ners and the loud voiced conversation
we're scarcely in keeping with the set
ting"