The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-10-30


have just made q journey from
Berlin through East Prussia. and
the Polish corridor TO Danzig. and
thence through Lithuania and
Lativia to Riga This journey only
takes two days and nights from
Berlin. but one passes across four
frontiers OF little nations created
by the peace treaty Of Versailles.
so Jealous Of their right Of self-de-
termination that no stranger may
pass without their government
stamp on his passport. which
wastes much time and nerve strain
In the ante-chambers of ofiicialdom,
while customs barriers have been
erected between one country and
another and hordes Of oficials are
paid 70 harass traders and travel
ers.
The guard Of the train which
comes from ostend to Riga Is a
man Of international character,
speaking, II seemed to me, every
known tongue and many that are
unknown. He also has q malicious
sense of humor regarding the self
determination Of nations and before
/ turned into bed the first night he
delivered himself briefly of q
cynical philosophy.
This 10 woodrow wilson's
train" he said. owing 70 hi, love
| Of liberty and small peoples you
pay for a sleeping carriage but do
not sleep. At 2 o'clock in the
morning you are turned out on the
platform Of the Polish corridor,
where your bags are examined and
your life endangered by the night
winds. No sooner do you go TO bed
again than the Polish officers wake
you up for q fresh examination. So
1t goes from one country to an
other untfl you are tired Of self
determination which has destroyed
individual liberty and common
/ sense"
sIumber RudeIy Broken.
So, indeed. II happened, and one,
attempts at slumber were rudely
broken by German, Polish, Lithu.
anian and Lettish officers who were
deeply suspicious OF toilet articles
insisted upon opening paper parcels
I containing Dutch cheese or second
best boots, became excited at the
sight Of a typewriter for which
they demanded immediate blood
| money and who were ruthless with
any traveller who had failed TO gel
| his necessary passport visa for any
| one OF FIVE nations Out he wal
turned to go back TO Berlin anc
repair his error.
At the East Prussian frontier
German oficials demanded know.
| ledge OF ones wealth or poverty
and refused permission for more
than 1000 marks 70 be taken across
| the frontier. ! was being marched
OF to deposit q small bundle Of
English bank notes which I needed
desperately for future travel unit
my energetic protests and expla'
nations rescued me from this forcibl'
appropriation by the Intervention
Of a high oficiaL
Self DETERMINATION Run wild
All this annoyance has only on,
good result. II impresses one''
mind with the farcial absurdity o.
self determination run mad. ! an
all for liberty and local governanc,
Of small peoples, but not a
the expense OF free trade and fire.
travel. This series OF Chinese wall
dividing European nationalities is
bark back in civilization and no
progress towards the Indication o
common interests and common
needs.
| During this journey the trail
stopped a long time at certain sta
lions and one had time to see some
thing OF the surrounding country
side and to study the characters
tics OF the people who crowded tn
stations or went about their bus
mess in the neighborhood.
One observation which comes {
every Englishman Is the strahg
prevalence of British uniform
among these new nations. tn
Poles, the Lithuanians and the Lett
have clothed their armies in BIRTHS
khaki and II looks as though whe
the British armies were demobilize
they sold their cast OF uniforms Q
Northern Europe. The effect is lu
dicrous on seeing peasant types o
Slavonic folk masauerading a
Bairnsfather's 'NOld Bill" or Lith
uanian and Lettish farmers {
tunics, breeches and puttees Gu
after the fashion OF British oficer'
: Heaven alone knows why thes
new little nations keep up standin
armies or how they AFFORD to do 81
Everywhere one sees soldiers VIII
seem TO spend most Of their time 4
/. cafes ana chocolate shops whii
trade languishes and ports are idl'
Germany's compulsory demobiliza
ton has been like a gift OF the god
to ease her burden OF defeat by Civ
ing back her men to industry.
ReconstructIon I'm Germany.
had but a brief glimpse Of Eas
Prussia, but enough to make com
parison between the reconstructio
Of war-damaged villages in Franc
and Germany. II what 1 saw wa
typical.
When the Russians overrun Eas
Prussia before they were counter
attacked and driven back by vo
Hindenburg they destroyed man
towns and villages during their re
| treat. Among them was Eydtkus
men, a village Of 5000 folk, who fee