The Coolidge examiner., 1937-12-09

Washington. d. C.-WNU Service.
HE battling element of
Berlin's character is its
extreme simplicity. One
anticipates complexities
which do not exist. The city
is as unaffected and logical
as the language spoken by its
inhabitants.
! Before one can begin to compre-
hend what makes Berlin tick,
/ preconceived ideas Of capitals must
/ be cast a1ide. Gradually, out Of
the confused outlines of the vast
mass, emerges a recognizable pat
/ tern.
Behold the anomaly Of an urban
agglomeration with a total popula-
tion of some 4 1920, 900, a city which
can boast one of the most highly
perfected transportation systems in
the world, with every convenience
contributed by science, and yet
which contains within its limits the
following:
Twenty thousand cows providing
a third Of the milk supply. 10000
pigs, 10000 goats, 100000 chickens,
10000 rabbits, $500 people keep
ing bees, only three or four build
ings that you can find as much as
ten stories high, twelve windmills
still functioning, and more than l00,-
600 little gardens, the harveStS of
which include such imposing yearly
figures as 5000 tons of potatoes
and proportionate quantities Of other
vegetables and grains.
Such items would appear fantas-
tic to the dweller on narrow. rock
ribbed Manhattan.
The Schreber Gartens.
These little "Schreber Gartens"
afford city workers easily accessible
contact with the land which is so
dear to the German heart; they pro-
mote bodily fitness through exer-
else, and minimize food cost.
Beside each garden is a neat little
house for storing equipment. Here
centers the odd-hour and weekend
life of substantial number of fam
lilies. During times Of crisis, these
wee shelters have even housed
many who would otherwise have
been roohess.
The so-caned ''Schreber Garten"
movement, which has spread to
most cities of Germany, was found.
ed in 1864 by philanthropist who
named it in honor of Schreber, a
famous physician of that day. The
land is owned in some cases by the
city, in others by the state, and is
furnished to its users together with
implements and seed) at a nominal
price.
Trees and rivers, more rivers and
more trees. Therein lies Berlin's
greatest hold on the hearts of its
dwellers.
The two rivers, Havel and Spree
pronounced "Shpray'O, with their
eccentric twistings and turnings,
form network of waterways which
makes it possible to reach many
parts Of the city by water.
These small streams and their
tributaries, connected by canals
with the Elbe and the Oder, give
communication for transport of
freight by steamer and barge to the
farthest corners of the land.
Berlin has, except for Duisburg,
the largest shipping tonnage of any
inland city of Germany. More than
five million tons of goods arrived
at the port in 1885 and 1900 900 tons
were dispatched.
Through the watery lanes, under
gracefully arched bridges-of which
Berlin has 1,006, even more than
Venice itself!-glide along wooden
barges, heavy-laden carriers of
IO01s OOAlhAlJS llldkSIldIS, pelIOlGuIn.
and an infinite variety of other prod
ucts.
Large numbers of fruit barges
come in from the provinces, bring
ing apples, pears, and peaches In
their holds. In some cases these
loads are marketed directly from
the barges. which find mooring at
advanta geous points within the
town.
Berliners Love Trees.
The banks of the rivers are plant
ed densely with trees. Rows of lin
dens or plane trees line the majority
of the streets. The public parks are
standing armies of trees in close
formation, through which cut beguil-
ing avenues and paths.
The most numerous member Of
the tree family is the linden. Also
in large numbers are found most of
our familiar American trees, such
as maple, elm, horse chestnut
(much beloved by the German). oak,
acacia, poplar and birch.
A census of trees standing Ii
streets and SQUARES alone-entirely