The Coolidge examiner., 1935-10-04
yys-s.es ~ xstiouai Geographic society.
NzahfnEton. u. C.--WNC Service

T HAMBURG thinks In terms Of
II ships. Of fish. and trade with
u l. far-fung places. Overseas
news. especially news that affects
trade for better or worse. means
more TO II than all the polltico-
social twaddle Of Berlin or Mu-
Mich.
Since the days Of sail. its sons
have secured every nook 81 the
world to barter. buy. and sell Many
now extensive German colonies In
South America and the Orient be-
gan as small groups Of traders and
clerks hrst sent from here. Some
marry foreign women. retire well-to-
DO. and bring their families back
here to educate the children.
This close tie with distant lands
accounts Tor Hamburg's wellkuowu
study OF trople economics and dis.
eases. its researches into new uses
for imported raw materials. the
worldwide work of is trade groups.
and the desire 81 its young people
10 learn foreign languages and 70
travel abroad. Visit IN any Ham
burg home. or any industrial mu-
scum where foreign products are
seen. and at once you are struck
with youths eager interest In men.
events. and things overseas.
During the years when endless
shlploads ~ immigrants left Ger
many for the New World. Hamburg
was the port from which millions
OF them sailed. Including those from
middle and eastern Europe.
Many a Hamburg sitting room Is
cluiiered with curlos and quaint
memenios brought back from dis.
iant voyages by father. uncle. or
brother. Always Hamburg shares
its sons with the sea-mauy never
10 return.
From here red faced crews IN
smelly olisklus aud high boots sail
each season 10 fish the wlnd-swept
North sea. working as FAR away as
Iceland. The loss ~ lie. ships. and
nets In THIS trade Is recorded IN
many n North sea ballad. Herrlngs
they harvest IN countless millions.
herrlngs being 20 the North sea what
bananas are 20 Central America.
Special FISH cars. gaudIly painted
Ike circus trains. run at high speed
from North sea fsh ports 10 ash.
hungry cities as far away as Vienna.
What the "Free Port" Means.
That phrase. ~tbe Free Port OF
Hamburg, means what7 Only this
Away back 10 1is9 Frederick Bar.
barossa t,he Red Beardl gave Ham.
burg It's free charter" Though
state now 10 the German repub-
lie. IL stlil enjoys a peculiar degree
OF independence. It's ancient sen.
ate stlll functions In traditional
Spanish dress. While Hamburg
Joined the German union In 1858,
the senate cannlly maintained Its
free-trade rights by holding back
part OF its harbor area as a free
port Shut OF by a high iron
fence. this section Is a city within
Itself. free from the plague OF du-
ties and customs Inspectors
Here are mammoth warehouses
piled high with China silk. frozen
meats from Argentina. coffee from
Brazil. farm machines from the
United States. many waiting re-
shipment TO strange-named Baltic
ports, none 10 pay a cent OF Gus
toms duty 10 Germany. Here many
OF the worlds huge ships are built /;
here are foundrles and machine
shops. Here. too. fiocks OF fac
tories pro1t by the free use OF i'm
ported raw material and easy ship
ping facilities.
Hamburg. as a German state. has
tariff projections. but this part OF
IL enjoys free trade in all It's enor-
nous transit commerce. This bene-
ct is shared by American firms who
have warehouses here.
Like Manhattan island, crowded
Hamburg uses tunnels. Between st.
Pouli and the Steinwarder side OF
the Elbe. In the harbor sections. a
double tube leads under the river
II is similar to the Hudson tunnels
at New York, except for ap-
proaches. So crowded are the river
banks that no space could be spared
for incllnes: hence, at each end,
men and vehicles use elevators.
which lift and lower them n feet
below street level. Domed temple
like structures house these eleva-
tors.
Plg-iron weights hold the tubes
from shifting. The tunnels. their
walls faced with glazed tiles and
decorated with sculptured reliefs,
are brilliantly Illuminated. On bad
days. when fog or ice slows down
the Elbe ferries or crowds the
bridges, pedestrians and cyclists all
prefer the dry, warm tubes.
Many Languages There.
Hamburg is a polyglot port. Shop
ping street window cards read,
English Spoken" "Se Habla Es-
panol," "On Parle Francais," Syrian
cafes display sidewalk dinner signs