The Washington times., 1933-01-16
Expensive City


Now for the other side Of the
picture. Berlin, at the present
moment, is just about the most
expensive city in the world IN
which to live. When I tell you
that single package Of 15-cent
American cigarettes costs SITS
in the tobacco shops and 81 80
in. the hotel, you'll get a rough
idea of what I mean. In other
words, you can buy practically
two complete cartons in Amer
lea for the price Of q single
package in Berlin.
The reason for this situation
is the terrific tax the govern
ment places on cigarette imports.
They want to sell native brands,
and, since the natives cannot af-
ford anything else, that's what
they smoke. American cigarettes
are a great. luxury over here
and, even though the Germans
declare the smokes are a trifle
too strong for them, a package
disappears as If by magic when
you offer it around a table. III
this respect the situation is al
most as bad as Moore's restau-
rant.
American cigarettes are boot
legged here in many quarters,
and it seems to be a flourishing
business. The cigarettes are
smuggled across the border and
sold to the various cigarette
bootleggers at an average price
of 40 cents a package. The boys
sell them on the quiet at IS
cents for the same package.
I've been approached several
times today on the bootleg Gig
arctic question, but I have
turned each Of the gentlemen
down. AS a proud American
and q firm believer in our great
Constitution, refuse absolutely
to buy anything from a bootleg
ger unless it comes in a bottle.
Speaking Of Bottles
Speaking Of bottles, as I
sometimes have a habit Of do
ing, here's a little something
else along the price lines that
may interest you:
When left New York, a case
of the best Hennessy brandy
could be bought from the right
sources at prices that ranged
anywhere from $50 to $45. The
average price Of a bottle, then,
was about $3.50-and the price
of a drink ran anywhere from
so to rs cents.
In Germany, where the sell
ing of liquor is permitted, the
same bottle of Hennessy costs
81 if you shop for it-and 81
If you don't. There Is no re-
duction on a case, so that the
price runs anywhere from $48
to $84 for said case. And in
the bar of this hotel, a drink
Of HenneSSy brandy with a
little charged water cost four
marks, forty-or about $1.10 in
our money!
No, my friends, Berlin is
hardly a cheap town. They tell
me that there is a great deal
Of misery here and that I will
meet plenty of it before I leave.
I don't doubt that for a mo-
ment. But whatEI can't under
stand is how the people can af-
ford to pay the prices that are
charged for different articles.
An average shirt costs $5,
and you wouldn't dream Of pay
ing So for it in America. A
good hat costs at least So.
Shoes, socks, and the like are
priced along similar lines. And
you mustn't think that these
are tourist priceS-because the
tourists in Berlin these days are
few and far between.
AS to food-well, Mr.. Cozine
and I had dinner tonight in
Horcher's restaurant, which is
Justly celebrated as one Of the
best eating places in the world.
We had no wine nor drinks Of
any sort, and the bill called for
slightly less than SO. For that
sum in America today, you can
buy a whole restaurant.
Yes, the dinner was expen.
sive. But, oh, brothers and sis
ters, those liver dumplings and
Sauerkraut!