PARIS AND BERLIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9632, 12 April 1917, Page 7

PARIS AND BERLIN

STRIKING PICTURES IN' CONTR AS I'. The Paris "Journal” of February 21st published a special article written by Air Carl Wackerman,' in which he contrasted the conditions prevailing in. Berlin and Paris. He said: — “When I left Berlin ten days ago tor Switzerland the streets were covered with enow, and women .were working side by •ide will soldiers clearing the streets. I had great difficulty for three days beforq ,ny departure in obtaining automobiles, and tile only way to get baggage to the station was to “horse-taxi” it one trunk .tt a lime. "For two weeks Berlin had experienced one of the coldest periods for nearly forty, years, and with , a scarcity of coal many schools closed, and the big offices and boardinghouses were without heat. Food was scarce, and, soldiers, instead of taking food to the front, were (sending pound packages back .to then families. The railway station, as usual, was filled with soldiers and officers’ going and coming. People were talking about their new submarine warfare, and were hopeful about the possibilities of peace within the next six months. ‘‘■But what a contrast this is to Paris' Here there are thousands of taxi-cabs, and there appears to be no food problem. Food and clothing are cheaper than in Copenhagen or Holland, and from the general appearance Paris appears to have the same peace-time atmosphere as a neutral city. *ln Paris there are private automobiles; in Berlin there Is none. In Paris even the horses are well ted; in Berlin they hardly. . have enough strength, to .draw a carriage. Here there appears to be not only more business being done, but also, greater opportunity for business. One can see, in fact, that Paris is a - city to which the commerce of the world is open. "The Germans are confident that Germany will win, but they are not so anxious to win as to end the war. In Paris, on the contrary, the people are confidently optimistic, but more anxious to win than to end the war. Parisians are light-hearted and gay: the,Germans downhearted and easily depressed. “The reception accorded to Americans, especially those who came from Berlin with the late American Ambassador. Mr Gerard, was particularly cordial in Paris. ,bs. for. ourselves, we met an official at the French Embassy at Berne, and inquired whether we would be permitted to enter . France after being so long in Berlin. He replied, 'Why, of course, you are exiles and France welcomes you.’ Perhaps we were exiles returning . to France, but since we returned we have felt like guests in the house of friends.”