THE HAUGHTY HUN.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1919, Page 1

THE HAUGHTY HUN.

B Another side of the “kultured” GerB man is demonstrated in tho following I circumstance. On the staff of the GerR man Hotel at Jaluit, the capital of the Gj Marsl mf ]s, Ctlie hotel is jioh - closer], by 1 the Japanese), there was an undertaker I and grave-digger. The duly of these I “servants,” like hawks watching an cxI piring prey, was to keep a close look I upon German Understand others who I* were drinking and “zum-tagging” too freely, and the-moment they dropped, dead, which was not infrequently the case, these members of the staff, would ■ pounce on their still warm bodies, “hox I them up,” as it was termed, and has-I I tily bury them. There was to he no I L time lost in funerals and burial ser-1 I vices, for the drinkers in the bars and; I | saloons wore not to he disturbed—this I I was the strict instruction of the management. And not only the natives, I j hut travellers themselves can toll you I of the pandemonium, the guzzling at I that Jaluit Hotel! The popular drink I was long shandies of champagne and I. I lager beer, and there was a continuous roar of rough voices, and “Zum Tag” rang out to every hour of the day and I night. Natives would be carrying out J their masters senseless from excessive I drinking, or the undertakers would be | standing by to snatch away the dead. [ The months of June and July of 1911 I j, were strangely busy times in Jaluit Lagoon. German tramp steamers. I some of 14,000 tons, wore arriving ro-1

gularlv laden with coal and genera supplies, and; the secret was out that towards the end of .Inly of that fatyfu year an armada of huge tramp steamers, fully laden, with tons of machinery and a host of media niet was to leave German China direct for Majuro Lagoon. The natives were sorely puzzled, and at one time on the verge of rebellion at the continual work night and day. Sunday and week-day. The German officials were mightily reticent about the great supplies arriving, and the sprucing of the German warships which wa K going on with feverish haste. Then it was the chiefs began to hear of the groat tunnels beneath the cities of Germany, filled to overflowing with munitions of war, that the city of Metz alone had over eight miles of such tunnels. That under Berlin there were acres of caverns in which were treasured gold and silver a mass of wealth that ran in figures to many billions. But there was nofliing which so impress ed the chiefs as the sham battles of .Taliut or Majuro. Then the German warships cleared for action, would sally forth and assault -a target surmounted by a Union Jack. There would be a wonderful maneouvring, great broadsides of gunfire, shells bursting, and torpedoes dashing and flashing in the waters an c ] all at the unresponsive target. Then at last, with the flag torn and battered, and the target sinking beneath the waves, the German ships with hands playing, sirens shrieking, and bunting flying would return with all seriousness to be acclaimed as conquerors and to receive the worked-up plaudits of the native on-lookers. The officers would come shore in full-dress-uniform and there would he a public reception by the Gorman shore officials, much hand-shaking, and many congratulations, much hoastand toasting and many noisy “Zulu Tags.” The bewildered natives, in their simplicity, would ask, “Why shoot cm target? Ho got no gun; lie no light"; and the supercilious Gormans would reply, “Zum Tug, Zum Tag; that is lmw we will blow the British ships from the Pacific.” “Zum Tag” has come at last, but not as the cowardly Germans planned it.