The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-09-02
Berlin Filled-With. Tourist.

Berlin, Sept. 1.-"Rubber-neck
wagon" has become q standard Ger
man word and Sightseeing tours
about Berlin are supplied with all
American trimmings.
"This is the German White House,
the home of President Ebert" the
conductors announce as they pass
along Wilhelm street
When the touring cars cross the
bridge over the Spree, in sight of
the lock which regulates the height
of water in the highly canalized
stream, the conductors shout: Its
just like the locks on the Panama
canal, but not quite SO big"
Inter den Linden is now buster
than the avenues Of Coney Island on
a bright day, and half Of the pedes-
TRANS are speaking English. The
touring cars all start from Inter den
Linden. Every two, hours a fotilla
of autobuses moves out of the famous
boulevard loaded with tourists bent
on getting a birds eye view of the
i German capital.
| All guides speak both German and
English. At least that is what the
placards on the autobuses say. But
the tax on the voices Of the guides
has been so great dufing the summer
rush that many Of them are too
hoarse to be understood in any Ian
guage. .F
Inter den Linden is no longer the
quiet, dignifed thoroughfare it was
in imperial days. If the former
Kaiser were to quit cutting trees at
Doom long enough to visit his fav-
orite thoroughfare, he would scarce
ly recognize it.
Miscellaneous traffic now moves along
the boulevard and cars and cabs ar
parked everywhere. Cafes have ex-
tended their crowds far out on the
sidewalks Vendors of postcards are
on all sides, and more ivory and am
ber ornaments are displayed than can
be seen on the boardwalk at Atlantic
City
Blind soldiers led by police dogs
| and crippled soldiers in invalid chairs
offer matches for sale from Brande-
burg Gate to the Royal Castle on the
Spree. Flower-sellers,. fruit vendors
and food-peddlers have found places
along the boulevard. Cabarets
which advertise ballets notable chief
ly for their warm weather costumes
and movig nicture house have
fiocked into Inter den Linacn. 1t is
the home of the tourist, and all visit
-. VINO want to get tEeil moneys
worth are centering there.
English is spoken on Inter den
Linden about as generally this sum-
mer as it was on the Champs Ely
sees when the United States army
was still in France. But the ma
iority of the tourists are women, and
many of them speak English with s,
decided German accent. German-Am-
ericans are fiocking, here in grea:
numbers to show the fatherHnd to
their children and grAedchildren, and
| it is amusing to hear Che comments
of the old folks who haven't been in
Germany since they were children.
The standard topic Of conversation
among tourists is the falling mark.
| Many of them are spending marks
which they bought in the United
States when the idea was still preva
lent in the world that the mark was
good investment.
81 paid eight cents apiece for my
marks and now could buy them for
one eighth of a cent apiece" one old
woman remarked sadly to group of
Younger women. 81 want to tell you
| am off speculation in European ex-
changes for all time."
Nearly all the criticism one hears
of Germany and the Germans is from
tourists with a German accent. Po-
lice regulations and passport re-
ouirements do not seem half as gall
ing to the native-born American tour
lists as they are to those of German
origin. At least they do not talk as
much about their troubles.