Evening star., 1921-09-01
DANUBE HIGHWAY
BECOMES BARRIER
Not Yet Does 1t Serve to
Bind Bordering Nations in
Friendship.


. suance from the Washington head
quarters of the National Geographic
Society of the following bulletin de-
scriptive q the famous river
"From the Black forest to the
Black sea. over a course 1900 miles
In length, the Danube has long been
o chain upon which romance ana
history have Wed with each other TO
hang interesting traditions ana oc-
curences. Geography. too. has done
its share. and although the Voiea e1-
ceeds its rival in length. ana al.
though the Rhine in Thackeray ana
Hood has had better press agents.
the Danube is large enough ana
beautiful enough to rank In interest
with the great rivers of the WorIo
Less Highway and More Barrier.
There was a time when the DAN
ube was symbolized by an old-fash-
toned waltz. But since the world
war began, nothing but hesitation
typifies the place the river has held
In the economic life of the countries
through which it runs. 1t has been
less the highway and more the bar
rier than in pre-war days. Not yet
does it serve to bind the various ma
tions through which it passes into a
friendly and cooperating group. 1t
has been officially open to ships OF
all nations since the forming of the
Danube commission in 1856. and the
various states interested long CO.
operated to improve the navigatlon @
reaches of the river. but political
conditions have done much to weaken
the economic link which once bound
Linz and Vienna to the great grain
shipping center of Braila. to which
ocean-going vessels can steam. and
<N ho fham2alvPS
Charming villages, beautifu!
meadows. picturesque hills. crowned
with ruined castles; princely palaces.
ecclesiastical piles and two OF the
strung along the lengthy and winding
river. Thriving industries raise their
smokestacks beside the stream whose
legendary color is blue. but whose true
muddy yellow. More tragic than the
sncroachment of factory smoke has
been in late years the sad sight OF
countless chimneys from which the
life breath of industry seemed TO
have expired forever.
Hohenxollern Castle ON Banks.
Near it's source at Donaueschingen
the river passes between the castle
which caves it's name to the late rul-
ing family in Germany and a war
monument to the Hohenzoliern men
who fell in the Franco-Prussian war.
Farther down it passes through the
once proud capital of Austria Hun
gary. where the fine government
buildings stand to the despairing in
habitants as a mocking reminder of
better days, and beside the Prater.
once deer park and later pleasure
garden, noted for it's Viennese gayety
Still farther along its course. Just
junction with the March. there is
towering cliff spired with a monu-
ment erected to celebrate l.eo0 years
of Hungarian nationality. This is
Czechoslovakian territory now. and
there last summer the Stars and
Stripes were draped on the occasion
of the visit Of a large group OF Czech
Americans to the newly freed land
"Bratislava. now Czechoslovakia's
river port, was once the city in whose
dignified cathedral the Hungarian
kings were crowned. The boat sta,
history has wrought. Over the CEN
ter of the landing the present name
is given, but to the left one can see
name Pressburg' and to the right
there Is the Hungarian name rPoszony.
Budapest Not war-Torn.
vienna, brooding in it's lovely
parks. which lack the care that was
once lavished on them, and contem-
plating with cynicism the motto. 81
Wis Pacem. Para Bellum.' whose
kOlOeu ActlcIS uGCOIAlC lAS Sa4AS Ia
the ministry of war, is a sad sight.
But Budapest. still militint, still
naughty in the CONSCIOUSNESS of it's
beauty. seems to have f<en less
troubled by the passage of var.
Food is the main reason. Hun
some of the best. land in Europe.
Vienna. it's industry stopped. can do
little to earn the food it needs. Dur
ing the summer of 1920. all traffic be-
tween the two capitals was stopped by
mutual boycotts and although steam
ers piled the Danube from Linz to
Budapest, no through passengers or
freight was received
ITO the casual observer, Budapest
is the same proud city as of old The
fine parliament building and the i'm
posing palace on the heights across
the river. where Admiral Horthy now
rules. seems as attractive as before
the war. The upper river is still
crowded with bathers and with
canoes and rowboats. in which charm
ing women and stalwart men do their
best to attain specious coat of tan.
Along Franz Josef ouai. the prone
made adds a lively touch of color to
the drab scenes. to which the beau
tiful blue Danube has become accus-
toned.
Celtic Fortress stnl Stands.
From Zenum. once the last Hun
sarian port on the Danube. a short
trip between low banks brings one to
Belgrade, the capital of the new
kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and
Slovenes, where the steamer rounds
the base Of the ancient fortress which
dates back to the time of the Celts.
the Romans and the Franks. and
comes to its dock a little way up the
Save. which here enters the Danube
from the south.
about four hours sail below Bel
grade the wide plains give way to
vanian Alps curve down toward the
tumble Of mountains which extends
to Montenegro and Greece. 1t is in
this region that the main obstruc-
tions OF the river occur. But the most
famous distractions and the finest
scenery come at the Kazan Dufile and
the Iron Gates where the river has
collected a grueSome toll.
"At Rustchuk. the railway traveller
from Rumania ferries across a broad
and sluggish stream to continue his
journey to Sofia and Constantinople;
and here the banks Of the Danube are
lined with huge barges. many of
which are still idle. Below Siiistria.
the river curves to the north and
throughout the rest of its length. At |
Cerna Voda. it is crossed by one Of the |
longest railway bridges in the world. |
the last Of the many bridges which |
cross the stream. some OF which are
now destroyed as q result Of the war
and post-armistice lighting.
"Braila, 125 miles from the three |
for the grain and produce Of . rich |
agricultural region. In pre-war days
Its wharves teemed with life and its
huge grain elevators bulged with the