The Washington herald., 1921-10-23
SPLENDID HOTELS
AND SHOPS HIDE
BERLNSPOVERTY
Germans Must Labor Two
Days for Dollar, Says
Bernhard.

CoHtiRned from Page ons
defamations against members of the
cabinet and politicians associated
with the present government.
Instigators of Murder.
In the past few months. this sort
of press, with a shocking frankness,
sought to provoke landowners
strike against the cities. Some men
were pointed out as noxious per-
sonalities whose REMOVAL" would
be q service to the fatherland. Un-
fortunately, It was no falsehood to
say after Erzberger's murder, that
the men backing this irresponsible
press agitation were the actual In
stigators OF the fateful crime.
1t was to be expected that a part
of the foreign newspapers would
consider as symptomatIc or the
i popular feelings, press utterances
| and individual press commentaries
Of one group OF German papers.
Such expressions were really onG
1 the view Of a relatively small, but
nevertheless all the more obtrusive
element OF the population. (Herr
Bernhard evidently refers to COM
ments rejoicing over the Erzberger
murder and references of satisfac-
ton over the death of this swine,$
as one Pan-German expressed it,
The proof of the correctness of
this view was furnished by hap
penings after the murder. The three
socialistic parties decided immedi-
ately to form demonstrative pro-
cessIons and protest meetings IN al
German cities on the day OF Err
berger's funeral and the hour of
his burial.
workers Parade in Protest.
With an imposing unity. nearly
all workers and employees in ALI
parts of Germany left their fac
tories at o'clock in long process
| sions.
Hence, these protest demonstra-
tions represented an action OF those
classes, representing a majority of
the German folk. And, in many
cities. organized citizens OF the
Democratic party Joined officially
with the socialists in their process
sions.
While the Christian workers" "a
labor group prominent in west Ger
many refused to participate in the
demOnstration at the Catholic cor
vention In Frankfurt am Main and
the numerous resolutions of the
Christian workers. employees and Of
ficials in various cities left no doubt
that the Christian world stood be-
hind the democratic bourCoisie and
socialistic workers in condemnation
of the agitation against the With
cabinet.
1t would also be desirable that
other things important VT . judg-
ment OF Germany should not be
appraised so specifically and over
hastily. In this connection. nothing
damages the aspect OF Germany
more than the comfort with which
the stranger is surrounded who
travels a couple of days in Ger
many.
Exchange BENEFITS Tourist.
} The American and the English
man who comes today to Germany
lives naturally In one of the best
hotels. The difference in exchange
between his homeland and Ger
many permits such a traveller
who lives modestly at home-to
dwell here in what for his situa-
ton is princely luxury. He oCcu
pies beautifully furnished quar-
tiers. has an opulent lunch at alb
surdly low prices and dimes in the
midst of the seasons delicacies.
Between meals he wanders in bust
ness streets whose stores offer
goods to please his heart and not
pain his pocketbook. And in the
pleasure palaces the champagne Is
cooled for him.
But the stranger forgets that
which is cheap for him. signifies an
impossible amount to most of the
Inhabitants of Germany. and that
the delicacies, robes and jewels of
the show windows are regarded
by this German folk about as the
wild animals of the zoo or the
stars OF heaven. a desire for which
would be insanity.
1 will not speak here of the hor-
rible misery the stranger would
find IL he would go along the Lin
J, den from the AdlOn, past the ola
Kaiser palace and into the inner
Eastern Jewish fugitives. the poor
est Berlin proletariat lives.
MuIcted by Taxes.
i l speak here more of the situa-
ton Of those elements of the popu-
lation previously considered as a
good or rich middle class-officials,
teachers, persons with bond in
comes. Today they possess scarce
i ly enough to shield themselves and
their children from utter hunger.
These elements to which all intel
lectual workers belong deserve an
especially thorough consideration
because the alteration OF their
status is characteristic of the eco
nomic upset which has occurred in
Germany. The money left citizens
through devaluatlon of eaeir hold
is taken from them in taxes.
Only a small group of nouveau
richie can compete with the for
eigner in enjoyhnents. And this
little group, which also lives lux
uriously in foreign bathing places,
awakens to the foreigner the i'm
preston that all must still go very
we'll with the German. But the
German, under the surface, appears
quite differently. Every dollar that
an American spends in Berlin is
worth now about IS marks. I do
not know whether it is now easy
to earn a dollar in America.
But I do know that it Is bitterly
difficult in Germany to gain IS
marks through work. Eighty-hve