LONDON AND BERLIN.

Evening Star, Issue 14038, 20 April 1909, Page 2

LONDON AND BERLIN.

. A STUDY IN CONTRASTS. THE COURSE oFtHE UNFOLDING CENTFRY. XL [Bv Charles C. Reade.] Berlin is one of the most modern capitals in Europe, and it has a. dignityand a spaciousness permeating the grandeur of its splendid thoroughfares that compares well with London. The contrast between the rival metropolitan aggregations is one of the most vivid things in all Europe. In London there is a powerful survival, of —The Historic in Buildings, . ;ii public; customs, functions, and offices, and the methods hy which the work of :t city surrounded by cities, that has no parallel on earth, is accomplished. London from Hampstead Heath to Stcatham is a network of narrow, wide, cramped, ill-regulated thoroughfares straggling out without order or design to the remote horizons where the; suburbs take up its miles of brick and mortar and spread their story far into the hills of five counties. Its great buildings,- which every year resound to the tramp of nations, are solid, venerable piles to which is attached a sentiment and adoration that can wholly overlook any of their architectural shortcomings. None the less they peer strangely into the gloom and the hazy atmosphere that dominates the nfetrnpolis for more than half the year. Their beauty of structure# and •architectural adornment, smudgedas it'is in tho-mist and fog, stare at one but of an incongruous surrounding of black squat buildings and cranky thoroughfares. It is this amazing medley of beauty ami ugliness that in time grows upon one with a sort of horrid fascination. The Londoner believes that the extraordinary environment that huddles around places like St. Paul’s, or even the Abbey, gives dignity to his historic structures. He does not see that they in themselves only emphasise the hicleousueSs'of their sotting-/ A ride on top of a bus from the Abbey to St. Raul’s on one of London’s typically grey days will reveal the extraordinary confusion of buildings and thorhiighfares- that passbs' as- the -most wonderful city on earth. The hoary old pile of the Abbey rises in harmony against the splendor of the Houses of Parliament that reach up to many a chiselled and fairy pinnacle and tower high above the river. But right opposite the beautiful facade, with'its two towers that Sir Christopher Wren pencilled into the noble pile of Westminster, is a modern hotel and a-dingy hospital, whilst a thoroughly modern heavy suite if British Government offices starts ilatantly into the vision from an adopting frontage. Whitehall begins by icing a wide thoroughfare, but it takes tuto itself the funeral pall, the strange, hut wonder that blots the distance and softens the buildings out in uncertain outlines against the wild and turgid stream of traffic. The immense new pile of the War Offices looms up white and dignified in the mist, but its beauty is mocked by a dirty, rambling ■olk’ction of buildings right opposite it, mown as the Admiralty. The ragged irena of Trafalgar square suddenly Hirsts into view, dominated by a long, auk column with a. little figure on top. X is the Nelson monument, of course—me of the most incongruous ‘'works of irt. ” that was ever perpetrated in the name of patriotism, and London has some notorious examples. It looks like an elongated jester’s stick stuck into scrim blocks of .stone guarded by. four lions. Even Landseer, who was unquestionably British, could not help im-parting-to the lions a.certain .stolid respectability that nobody could mistake, immediately behind it a low, prison-like building sprawls out across the width the square. Its only adornment is a painfully small tower shaped like an inerted eggeup. This . iq the famous National Gallerrt From between the classic columns that support the ponderous portico one gazes on to. brand new piles of, shipping, offices ami banks that cannot, help flaunting their excessive modernity in the face of the gloomy old pile. The name of the Strand promises something better, but it .turhs ant to he nothing more than a succession of blatant shops poking their wares out of plain, sour-faced buildings, modem hotels, banka, all squeezed together as tight as congestion can make it. Theatres elbow their way into the .mass and hurl loud posters into the' street. Amid all the roar of traffic and the hooting of motor busses, one: seems to hear these ill-assorted buildings squabbling jor room, each one striving angnly to get its .face in front of the other. Only the, white, piles 'of the Savoy and the Cecil look' dpwn 'ia a sort of -calm, lofty indifference -upon the clamor below. The Strand is a-most distressing thoroughfare. It begins by he mg painfully narrow and cramped. Then it bulges out on one side, as-if something had given way under tlie pressure, only to lurch back again in a urunken outline anl crowd an amazing amount of traffic and swearing bus drivers into the neck where the Waterloo Bridge road effects a junction. Beyond it widens into a kind of lagoon, where two churches rise into view lookmg as though they had drifted and stuck inere right in the middle of the cnajmel of traffic. Ugly old Somerset House and a bright red tube station alternately frown and smile on them alme. It is only when the stately pile of the Law Courts swings into "viow witii the promise of Fleety street to follow, that one begins to thrill. But it is short-lived. One cannot see the Law. Courts for the'ugly crowd of buildingsrthat peer at and hem them in, save me solitary sweetness of Clemen’s Inn., Immediately beyond, the bus rumbles through- the historic ; Fleet street. —Advertising Monstrosities.— Imagination was never more disastrously disillusioned. It is a thoromdilare of advertisement hoardings with windows in them. Every paper that ever was. seems,to glare at one.in gilt ■letters. The medley of words that hash by on either side is appalling. The whole street is written all over with ns calling, and the wonder of it is that beneath the pile of squat,' ugly buildings tumbling down towards Ludgate Circus, there are hundreds of presses hurling forth the story of the world in feverish haste and clanging amid the din of thousands of fierce, panting voices. Over the whirlpool of Ludgate Circus, beyond a rusty overhead railway bridge that chops the view in lial f, rises the ponderous towers and dome;of St Paul’s, It is a wonderful bit of perspective .that ; even though a plain slab of a church tower half-way up “the hdl ’ pokes itself into the vision. The City Cathedral dwarfs everything about it into insignificance, but all its imposing effect is lost, crowded in as it is oy drunken rows of buildings'that eddy with uncertain outline round the base The mixture of architecture is wholly incongruous. It reminds one of a plum mulding set m a,dish . of asparagus. I he wholn spirit of the surroundings seems to he personified in a particularly ugly and fat statue of Queen Anno that turns its back on the Cathedral and tip tilts a snub noSo at the distant IHeet street. . In all. this medley , of tnodihaily to'' confirm to and beauty, but each element running its own sweet will irrespective of its heighk°r ’ oho sees-aii indication of national /ought and character. It is an architectural demonstration of “ the liberty of the subject.” -.The conception of any collective plan or scheme that might have shaped London into. a city of splendid avenues and wMI-ordcred probeen. ..subordinated to the mclividiml wifi. It ft a cage 0 f every -building for itself ..and the County re° t n?nl tak< i V. 10 ' VOrSt =' Tllat recently cost the ratepayer* six mil-

lions; sterlingreto; wine: put a'..dirty-, shun ‘ and compensate the owners who had built it, in order to inafio a street a quarter of a. mile long and'let a little daylight into the. heart. 1 of the metropolis. Now let us —Look, at; Berlin.— Just- as -London is divided in two -by. the Thames, tlie Gorman capital iV .sliced, in half by- the Spree. -At. tho Brandenburg gate one stands at the entrance to -the city and tlie- finest thorouglifare .in the Empire. The secluded and deeply-wooded - depths of the Ticrgartcu are behind—an immense park., lined with -drives and -walks winding’ round lily-clad lagoons, statuary and classic fountains. On the edge of this city forest stands an • immense pile reaching up to tho loftiest of domes.* It is the.Reichstag—a noble building set in a wide-spreading area of gardens and tree-lined avenues. The- Brandenburg gate, true in its beauty of the best traditions'of Athens, .makes a dignified entrance to a.classic square— -the Pansier Platz, ami the broad and spacious Inter den Linden, - reaching out to nearly 200 foot in width and lined as far as the eye edu reach with a, double row ot trees. The -latter ■ forms a remarkable and pretty avenue of lin.es and chestnuts for pedestrians down the .centre of the thoroughfare, whilst on either side the roadway stretches with the buildings beyond. A summer.’ day gives brightness to the- scene as one strolls down the cno! avenue, ’wondering at tho cleanliness 'of ihe buildings and the buoyancy of the people, —A Perefet Design.— ' Here, there seems to he un wrangling between the structures- which siui.il thrust its most:aggressive .feature into your vision. The architecture, of the one flows into the-other. They are illscreations of order and cleanliness. At .the junction with Friedrich Etrasse ■Berlin presents. Some, of -its gayest and happiest aspects. Cafes abound and spread their innumerable tables ami chairs under the tires. Beyond a statue ot Frederick the Great commands the way, anil points to the • architectural grandeur of the city. It is past ibis point that a remarkable' area, of - public buildings spreads out through own spaces, gardens, • and park-like pbr; grouped together to. secure.-collective effect. On the, right are the palaces of Kaiser 'Wilhelm and Empress Ffic-drieh. Between the two, set in a large, cueu sq.'Tte’-, pictured'by 'flower gardens and th rt, id spa:, the. Opera.:; House.-: aOn ; lie opposite side, planned out with dignity and space, are the University building and the Arsenal (or Museum) —one cf the finest buildings in Berlin. '’Over the whole group there is hannoiiv of ig:i and retting that' cannot be* altogether dissociated with grandeur. A'canal is .-crossed- immediately beyond wimi a single span, and an imnvnre- teiurir. •■‘led with tre w and monuments, epeus out on all sicks to the beautiful buildings that guard it. There is the Royal palace, designed by the eeirecrered architect bchuikel, ou one side muig : n contradistinction to the simple els-sic splendor oi the Aites .Museum drere. races it—n creation of the same mind. Through the angle of the, squai-c-a-T.ig above tho sunlit flood of the Spree ami peering above the trees end gardens shat surround it. rises, the National Gallery—a pure Grecian building that flows serenely into the comnositioi!. But dominating the whole square and commanding a magnificent' view cf die Unter den Linden itself-is the immense cathedral, the sight of which fills every true German heart- with patriotic pride. It is emblematic of the character cf the race, profound., aspiring, and tc.nr.mnding. Just as 'may be seen in Loudon’s busy,- congested thoroughfares the materialisation of national thought,. Berlin’s architecture, set out with space and dignity, reveals the broad conception of order and beauty that is 'behind the Teutonic mind. 'No individual will, irrespective of the communal welfare, has moved in the creation of London’s rival' capital, ft is the direct action of the State‘and 'tlie municipality, having mutually, the ambition to build a great city, that gaveto Berlin its comprehensive design? its spacious, thorou/.itares, its,, collective harmony and;-dignity. • There are so many : - ‘ —Points of Difference—in the administration of the two metropolises that they hut serve to omulmsise the contrast between them, i.eudon, up_to within recent years, was the home, of tlie.policy -which gave tho private company preference over the municipality m the conduct cf ’its affair.; and needs: It is now in a. state cf •transition, but one mutt nceessari; >• emphasise the traditional order of things if the contrast with Berlin is to be effective: By reason of its enormous vested interests and pecuniary office;; that had come clown from the' bad old days. London .was excluded from -rir.-nv of the reforms that gave life and cord to the municipal work of the north. It was mainly because tile city labored wider fa' medieval survival known as guilds.'. 'Thesec'guilcls. eighty in number, were’ originally designed to re-'-u----late the -callings or trades thev wereassociated with, such .as tho' niorcers. grocers, drapers, goldsmiths, merchant tailors, etc. They were societies of , gentlemen, entrance to which could only-be gained by purchase, patrimony, apprenticeship,, or honorary vote;/They, were tho borough councils of niedsevai towns. But iji Liter days, when industry Revolutionised the towns, government by these self-perpetuating"’guilds became totally obsolete and -intolerable. Jtngland wined their existence outeverywhere except in .London, whore to this day they survive and practically dominate, the. city. These guilds have long lost their:original purpose. Their total membership is--now-only 8,800, and they derive enormous income'; from house and business -property they own in all quarters of the municipality.* They arc. at best, fossilised relies of the. out of date, carrying with them immense privileges and powers that are held at the expense of the rest of:-the community. These privileges : and powers are still strong enough to keep municipal progress back and stifle‘reform. London also labors under thei' incubus of_ private water companies, gas; electric lighting, tramways, and 'docks and 'other commercial concerns monopolisum public services for individual gain. It was against all these close, concerns and vested interests that the Progressives of the Loudon Countv, Council directed their brilliant work but the -Moderates, the representatives of uriyato enterprise, -succeeded in frightening London into a wave of reaction, and now tlie old battle for progress eix'S on again. ' .-/The -Municipality Supreme.— In Berlin the administration is based ..upon tjiq principle that.it is tho municipality and tho.municipality only that ‘•can-:;best'conduct -its affairs. In’ order to secure tho highest technical skill and efficiency, i Berlin pays a ' handsome salary to its; mayor, deputy-mayor, and seventeen out of the thirty-four members of, the. City Council after the manner stated in the preceding article. Since 1873: the, municipality has h/m providing every class of public service, including abattoirs, markets, hospitals, gas, railways, houses,; water, sewerage. street cleaning, sanitary nnd foe.d simply inspection, charitable aid, lodginghouses, labor colony, insurance against sickness and old age, savings ban]:;-, pawnshops, parks, recreation ground,re -police,;elementary, ise.condary, ami tccii- ‘ iiichai schools } etc. O Win ./‘to ’ the services ; being in, an experimental stage. Berlin allowed private companies -to conduct electric ears aiul lighting _ under, the strictest • municipal supervision. Both companies nay l/avw fees to The: city for the- tiglit 'of service, and pay over annually a considerable percentage or their profits, jn the course of the next iew years the. vyhofiof their plant and property will’revert to the city-. In-recent-,years a magnificent drainage-system, has, been inaugurated complete- uith- e.xlen.sive- areas of sewage ignore , These ' lam,.s contain numerous ■ orchards, vegetable - mrwre. )

and - grass plot s -, and c upply the c ,tv' wtoilsivelv.- - ■ AYith in a short?-periocl l the' profits from this source- will he enough to .pay , ; hnck all-that: was -invested nr them, aeul eventual'v,' they will he a source oi surplus income tiiat will go in the direction .of-.'lessening ; municipal taxation. Hu .. London ;the. 'county or borough councils Harts, practically few powers over tlie cutting: up of private lands for residentJaL,sites and building ope rations lother than, liiogei provided hy a set of cp-st-trftn.lj-y.-lawsrthat Jiavc only f siicooedecl in■ producing.acres and licreg ! ox fairly wide streets ..lined with depressing reus of-.houses or a prevailing type and design. In Bcrkn the muu'/ cipaiity plans out the '.viuile of it,s.sub--urban-areas, and with the assistance < t the most expewt ac<l • scn'ntiuc ki-o reledge the land can oiler, it deternum a tlie width of its streets. Amid ti pudtitude of powers,relt: can even dmde the ;exterior position, of t house oi' sr senes cV'Jfovise;; so thaj- mre turccque- cheat, harmor.y ean mamtained throughout v. mreet.' ■ r j >‘<- sa'A.i i- that tli' ■> ‘i.d-ri ■u’ 0 A'. - Berlin are a.,- suraesKJfcn ■.<>: cluut-'. lioiises, liiddau , ...-a-iuyug?’; trcaj;;, ,a'.-;d shrubberies Oi-- adorned widi g;:aA-: ; ' C;p.en spaces #;:d.parks ahrereJ in coufonnity to thy needs cf t‘e-A t. . They - o.ff - ereatioU'rt'A’ - erv, and' Neture. prekeiakg an ..cnyirejameni of head/, and' beauty that' (’erenat lint keae yt ;!r g s;;rip..y an are;'-of vehndi oei,- a timdar i hj' r -i giAo :i;e adetereege. Are i.UU!,e:p:dity j;;-ov : dee .foe ike.- lae:,;., elore.ee in -theee (prt-rii-i.?; <-ie-. r ;-;, cj---- : A and iieelthre Ire;;;;;:- '/,> -Aid,.' re; ufl rauks ot tee ereejure.:’,ee;ve" ire eenoiAs of o;d:e ht-e: d' ■muthocie. ■ Tiie ccntn:;;: aired; ' whe;) Ola' 1 i-ee.aiie, ike adA;: ?f dire-,', are;.::-' . arc;!.:: in vbe'gr-e-reL--" and <dk m such ifietr;::.; : ;; dd-v----fair, At. Pane reef re'n-:( !! i'ie'-nnnideck,- and ’{redn”-’-it A c ndy.,q ; 'di' A) ;-:ay Are.t- te, edm m0t..,, rapidly in the track / A, ■■■■re. d:reA; : - tli- 1 - handicap.:: of ;;retiree:;e;e ; - ;-d ve.y J iniereets that re-read ire Anc ti-:. tract in nierlrede nurefc rer-e'y erere--: o re s-jitifeaea-u 1;o an ay'■ in :re- : A, ire- Ld- re ;;iredrei, and e re, f Aeieei e, rereny-ni iikredne .ire ceiirre- of A:o loidiire: ( re: ,re:-,i. if/- on-re arree:;-' - ’ ’ ;,-a-ua end i leu ■—-reii; apprer cn An: ii £7. I