The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1922-06-22
GERMANY AS SEEN BY
IDAH0AN
Joe Partridge of Nampa Writes
Impressions of Conditions
in That Country.

Mrs. E. K. Hayes this week receiv
ed letter from j. A. Partridge Of
Nampa, who with his wife and child
are visiting her parents in Berlin
Extracts are printed below because
they give the impressions of young
man tan ex-service MANI whose opin,
ions are not affected by political OF
financial considerations. In the con.
text, "Bess" is his wife.
We have been disappointed in find
ing that the rate Of exchange will not
help US great deal in buying things
that we had hoped to take home. 1t
is true that almost anything we want
can be bought cheaper than at home,
but we find prices have gone up so
greatly here that there is not a great
deal of difference in many lines. AS
soon as we are spotted as Americans
we are charged much more than are
the Germans for similar articles. At
hotels they make no secret that
foreigners are charged about go per
cent more than the natives. At Ham
burg Bess and l paid in all about
1900 marks for very good room, but
without bath. Then, too, there is a
government tax of 80 per cent and of
ten city tax of 10 per cent, and on
the total 10 per cent charge is made
for Service" Articles purchased
here must not only pay the U. S.
import duty, but must pay German
export duty that often is 100 per cent
of the cost, and on top of that we
must obtain license to export every
article that we leave here with.
Germany certainly is in bad shape
but with the present rates
of taxation they ought to be out of
the hole and have a surplus in a
couple of years-so it seems, anyway.
The salvation of this country is the
willingness of everyone to work. In
spite of the pitifully small pay, every
man and woman and most of the child
ren are doing something. The work
ing class are able to live on what they
get; very few Americans would want
to live the way they do. 1t seems
certain to me that Germany will in
time be back on its feet, and when it
is the French will have to watch their
hate them. l don't believe any other
country under similar circumstances
would have chance to come back. /
But the Germans are so patriotic and
so willing to work for their own and
heir country's salvation that it will
De interesting to watch them, parti-
,ularly if the German-Russian alli-
ince works out.
The Germans seem to have no ami
Mostly toward America and England.
n fact, ! have been quite surprised
md must admire them for their broad
American actors are
,ery popular. have seen as many as
our American acts in one vaudeville
how. At all the cafes and cabarets
American dance music is played al
most exclusively, and / have heard
many sing entirely in English. One
Fould not have to know q single word
f German in order to get around here
airly well, for in most hotels, res
stores, etc, it is spoken.
Anything American seems to be pop
lar. Particularly American prices"
re quite the rage with the merchants
l don't know yet How l like the
Germans. have met q good many
nd know few quite we'll They are ]
II very fine people and l like to be |
round them, for they are quite in
to me, yet there are so
ANY of the typical "Bosche" type
hich we saw cericcs:t:;azTo1 during the
ar that l can't help wanting to "kick
elP' out of them. / have not met any d
! them. They may be fine people if
ou know them, but l doubt it. Some h
~ am going round and round with
,me Dutchman. Everyone expects
veryone else, particularly if that
'meone else is . women, to give way
r them. The man is boss Of the a
mily here and he shows it. Seldom S
'es man give q woman his seat in /
car, and you should see them push ="
e women around when there is q =
owd. A few days ago Bess and her f
,ter were walking ON the sidewalk il
nd it was not crowded, either). Her
other and / were behind them. Here
ere is about three feet of cement
the middle and on either side about
( feet Of cobble stones, which con- q
tute the sidewalk. Bess was on the I'll
IN, who was coming in the opposite !,
ection, would have run her down "
she hadn't gotten out of his way. co
made me sore, so set myself for; tn
n and hit him amidships with my si
oulder, which caused him to move
out six feet off the sidewalk He ,ie
ran to sputter lot of German that 10
Iidn't understand and it looked for
minute as if there might be some
ng going on, but nothing happen
But some DAY some Dutchman is ST
ng to get hurt. =.
here is very opportunity here for -,
eal drinking man to have a good coi
e. Champagne, though it has ad- sta
ced 300 per cent during the last
months, is still less than 81 toy
tie. Beer is about 1c or l 1-3c -,
bottle and wine from 3Oc up. eoi
am very anxious to buy gun or
while / am here. There is a ,
PIP double barrel, 20 guage shot
r.