BERLIN HIDES GRIEF

Evening Star, Issue 15909, 15 September 1915, Page 10

BERLIN HIDES GRIEF

EATS, DRINKS,' AND SEEMS MERRY. Ther© are very few signsof war in Berlin aside from the' numbers of wounded sol - diers limping about on ; cnifc'hts-0r..-.- With faces, beads, or arms still in bandages, writes the 'Sun'- correspondent. Compared with:-an. American city there is of course an unusual number of soldiers parading the streets, but in Berlin during peace time there are always many soldiers about the streets. , At night the legion of restaurants and cafes are filled to over flowing, particularly those out-of-door restaurants- like the one at the Zoological (Jardvns, where to obtain a satisfactory tabic on the terrace, which accommodates some 3,000 people, requires either notice or a. strong pull with the universally omnipotent head waiter. ' The note, however, that'seems dominant in Berlin is that of restrained gaiety. There is no boifterousness, but there is no sadness. The people aie all smiling. The streets arc ablaze at night with lights, in welcome contrast to darkened London. The restaurants and cafes glitter, and the orchestras, «vhich are legion, play livelv tnnes with a- partiality for American ragtime. The womon," both young and middle-aged, are dressed almost entirrlv in white or light colors. Black is infrequent: Yet Berlin is not indifferent nor calloused to the horrors and tragedies of this most terrible war. but the spirit abounding seems to be' the subordination of personal bereavement in the jov of having contributed a father, son.-husband, rela" tive, or sweetheart' to the cause, of the Fatherland, of whose ultimate triumph not a single doubt is permitted to exist. Perhaps no bettor illustration yf this spirit can be found than iii seeing a -rc» ; - ment marching along Untc-r den 0 Linden for the front. The soldiers, are arrayed as if for a festival. Their tunics are decorated, with bouquets of flowers, their rifles with garlands of greens. On the sidewalks crowds cheer them as tliev' pas.--,. The band plays joyouslv at their heaa. Every soldier wears a smiie The regiment is flanked on both sides bv an accompanying stream of well-wishers." ' ° Mother, sisters, little children, and hoary veterans of 1870 march bv their sides proudly carrying their rifle? and singing with happiness. It partakes mnv.? n f the atmosphere of a safe return from battle than a departure for the horrors of the front. There ai-e no fears, and no thought of possible death or maiming are allowed to intrude. They are goin<r to fight, for the. Fatherland. * c The unhappy person in Berlin is the man of military age who through, some physical defect cannot go. He'" is constantly explaining, apologising. There is no need of recruiting posters in Berlin. Though militarv service i 6 compulsory the remarkable fart- is that compulsion seems unnecessary in view of the spirit of the people Nevertheless, there is an astonishing number of young men of military age in Berlin. It is'explained that the majority are engaged in necessary Government or national work, or that they hare been rejected for military service. In the later category it is curious to learn how many have been rejected on accountof flat feet. Flatfcot'edness renders a. man, so it is claimed, unfit for long marches. ' The lengthy dinner has disappeared, and even in the upper and wealthier classes has been replaced by a simpler meal of two or three courses." The suggestion that suoh dietary limitations are necessary on account of limited food supplies is disdainfully dismissed and the explanation is made that formerly the Germans ate too much, that luxury and overindulgence in food wis making them heavy, stodgy, and phlegmatic, and that eating' less could not help but have a beneficial effect on the future of th-e race.The same argument is advanced in the case of the much-advertised night life of Berlin, which has entirely disappeared, perhaps for ever. It was introduced and maintained, it is contended, for the benefit of the visitors, just as the similar Parisian institutions. But unfortunately it proved not only attractive to vistors, "but to the Germans _a_s well. So the Germans saythat it is~6ne of the blessings of this war that this baneful element has been eliminated. The first question that is flung at a stranger's head upon arriving in Berlin, particularly a stranger coming from London, is "Do we look starved?" and as the visitor's stay progresses the question is daily altered to " Have you seen any evidence of starvation?" There is outwardly no lack of food supplies. There is a glut of potatoes. There is plenty of meat, vegetables, and poultry. Milk, cream, butter, and fruit are to be had in abundance at all classes of restaurants. There is _an admittedly great increase in the prices of staples, in some instances as high as 300 to 500 per cent., but the actual cost of living, owing to the imposed economy of consumption, has not been materially increased so far as can be learned. > The drinking does not seem to have noticeably decreased, but there are no signs of drunkenness. In fact, the ' Sun' correspondent, during a stay of three weeks in Berlin, saw only three cases, and they were only mild. The men had just been accepted for service, and were celebrating. French champagnes are tabooed, but, curiously, foreign liquors like Benedictine and Scotch whisky and soda retain their popularity. The favorite .summer drinks for the people seem, however, to be light beers and bohler. This latter varies in constituents and price. A half litre of bohler made of Rhine wine, soda water, and fruit may be had for 20 cents. Dancing is tabooed in Berlin. About half of the theatres are closed, and those that are open are devoted to war plays. Moving-picture houses abound throughout the city, and their programmes are largely made up of war films and instructive lectures on the progress of the various campaigns.