GERMANS OF TO-DAY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10742, 13 November 1928, Page 3

GERMANS OF TO-DAY

AGLOW WITH MERRIMENT.

SINGING AND DRINKING

L T i>ltod Proarf Assn, by El. Tol. OoD.vrurm (Australian Press Assn.) • (deceived Nov. 10, 9.10 pan.) LONDON,. Nov. 10. The tenth anniversary of the Armistice finds Germany totally disinterested. "The day the Germans remember as marking the end of the war was not November 11,, 1918, but November 9, when the old order was swept away and the Ivaiser disappeared to Holland. To a -few disgruntled Nationalists it is a-most ignominious day in German history, but, for the remainder, it signals an opportunity to work out its own salvation with no further assistance of Durne grace. Thus to-day Berlin is aglow and proceeds with merriment, rivalling the corefreeness of London before the war. « A decade after tbe- war the old forgotten memories of glittering Imperial parades is replaced with a desire for new commerce, finance, new uses of machinery, and all modern ways of making the land prosperous. A wise German would rather be second at the Olympic Games than first in another armament race. They got all wrought up over defeating the Australians at tennis. But talk to them about a new gigantic ararv and they will give a disgusted look and go on singing and drinking good beer. They neither drink nor sing to forget their sorrow; it is rather their sheer love of music. When the band plays ‘‘Deutschland Über tiles” ihe-ir do not rise and yell but let the band play.' The song “Rhine Wines, Rhine Maids” brings a roar of appreciaton in Germany now. The people in political power in the last two elections reflect their unanimous view that war is down and out.

I> or this amazing change, look at Hindenburg, the most ardent advocate of the Republic: look at the trouble the Atlantic flyer Hueriefeldt got himself into by a visit to the exKaiser, for lie - had to make open reparation to the workers and tlio Soviet Democrats* SPORT INSTEAD OF DREAMS OF GLORY. tlultaj Press Assn by El. Tel. Conyrigtn 'Australian Press Assn 1 BEK LIN. Nov 30. Everywhere the Germans declare: “By winning the war, you broke up Prussianism, destroyed soldier education and gave the Germans a chance to discover the rottenness of military g'orv.” The same spirit exists in the younger generation. They are not dreaming secret dreams of glory; instead ihev are playing games. The whole of Germany is a vast national playing ground, organised better even than U.S.A. Young Germans are mad with the desire for sport. There are still embittered Monarchists and, now and again, they are allowed to parade, hut it. is no "more than a parade of wooden soldiers. Everywhere to-day, a decade after the Armistice, there is growing prosperity and complete absorption of ail tlie benefits cf peace. Germans, freed from military' Tyranny, find the pipe of peace pleasant to smoke as they drink their munchere. “LITTLE WILLIE’S” FALL. “Little Willie,” now grey-haired and approaching 50, is a figure in tbe tragedy of to-dav. The man who spent his impressionable years expecting to rule a vast Empire was suddenly turned, without warning, into a very ordinary citizen whose main recreation is driving a sports car at 170 kilometres an hour. The Crown Prince and Princess maintain a miniature Court Room at Potsdam, with two equerries and four servants, the Prince spending the day reading chiefly English military and political history that deals with Viscount Curzon,' Lord Birkenhead and Mr. Churchill. The completeness of the Prince's fall was shown recently w;-hen he and the Princess, attending an opera in pouring rail, had to stand aside while Frau Stresemann’s car was brought to the door of the Opera House, whereas the Prince and Princess were obliged to walk and search for a car in the downpour. The Crown Prince treated the matter as a joke, but the Crown Princess was deeply resentful. Germany, however, does not care how resentful or how wet she becomes.