CONFIDENT BERLIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1915, Page 12 (Supplement)

CONFIDENT BERLIN.

TAXI-CABS REDUCED. Of late there has been somewhat of a cessation of descriptions of life in Berlin and other leading German cities. It was felt, perhaps, that everything that could be aaid had been said. However, I find in the Gazette de Lausanne, always a paper very well disposed to the Allies (writes a correspondent in the Morning Post) a description of life in Berlin to-day which is so interesting that I feel 1 must quote it in part and summarise the remainder. Berlin, I ought to remark, has since the war been a kind of show city, the one which Germans are most anxious to show to foreigners, and also the one which, judging by the unanimous testimony of those who have visit, ed both it and other parts of Germany, shows least change outwardly owing to the war.

The writer in question left Switzerland for Berlin on June 30 last. On presenting himself at Zurich station to buy a ticket, the booking clerk handed him a circular which he had just received from the frontier, dissuading anyone from attempting to enter Germany, owing to the severe frontier regulations and difficulties in general. Nevertheless, having important business in Berlin, he courageously boarded the train for the frontier, and reached Gottmadigen without any worse experiences than being bombarded with questions by German subalterns, and the notification that "You cannot return to Switzerland till further notice." Passports were very severely examined, luggage much more summarily. At Singen the traveller took a "D" train, running as fast as in peace time, and with a restaurant car attached, where a good meal was obtainable for Mk.3.50. Anyone, he remarks, acquainted with the countryside would immediately have noticed that a great deal more land was cropped this year than in previous years, corn growing up to the very railway line itself. At 9 a.m. the train arrived in Berlin, where the traveller went about his business absolutely as at ordinary times, save that, within eight hours of Ins arrival, he was obliged to present himself at the police office and have his passport stamped. Here he was informed that, when he wished to leave, lie must notify his intention to do so 24 hours beforehand, but otherwise he spent 20 days in Berlin absolutely without molestation. Naturally curious about the present state of feeling in the German capital, he was not long in ascertaining it to be more confident than ever in view of the Galician victories and the Russian reIti eat. "Leave us a few weeks more," was the general trend of opinion, "to finish off the Russians, and then we will stnd a few million men to France, and before the winter all will be over. Our lines against France have been for some months reduced to a minimum, but, despite all their .efforts/the English and French have not been able to force them, so they won't be able to hold out when we attack them in force."

PROFITABLE PATRIOTISM, The Berliners, says the writer, are adaptable and have a keen eye to the main chance. Consequently many have contrived to turn even their patriotism to excellent account, serving their country well and at the same time not being in any way losers themselves. The Jewish element lives fully up to it 3 reputation, and many a man who has not gone to the front rubs his hands and says that "as far as he is concerned the war can go on for some years to come yet." Everyone lives on "Heeresliferungen"— army contracts—and apparently everyone can And remunerative employment. (This must be compared with statements in Social Democratic newspapers). "The money circulates," said a' banker, "but it doesn't leave the country, so that everyone has the benefit of it. The cafe proprietors and restaurant-keepers will never have had such a season as this year's, because no one is going to Ostend, Scheveningen or Swiss resorts." The writer found the train and tram seivices punctual, but less frequent in their running than formerly. Women act as conductors. Work upon the North and South Metropolitan Railway, begun in peace time—a very large undertaking—is proceeding normally, and the number of men employed on 'it would seem to point to there being still large untapped reserves in Germany. "The number of young .able-bodied'men met everywhere in Berlin, in the streets, the cafes, restaurants, theatres, bars, etc., ia remarkable." There are, besides, a great many soldiers on leave, which lends the •principal streets always a festive appearance. All the soldiers appear cheerful; they are delighted to relate thtir exploits, despite General Staff warnings, and the number of Iron Crosses is legion. As other observers have noted, seriously wounded men seem for some reason or other to be kept away from Berlin, and what wounded are seen about the streets are mostly quite slightly inji.Tcd.

As to food prices, the Kempinski restaurant, whose great speciality was a dish of meat and vegetables for 90pfge., now charges Mk. 1 for this, while a well, known hotel, whose Mk.3.50 luncheons were famous, is now charging Mk.4. The large grocers' shops were selling Hour at 20pfge. and rice and macaroni GOpfge. a half kilo, while bread was 4opfge. a°kilo. The chief shortage seems to be in benzine, all of which is commandeered for the army, so that the 3000 odd taxi-cabs in use in Berlin (instead of about 12,000) have to content themselves with benzol. In the large bazaars there seemed certainly less life than formerly. As far as the writer could ascertain the business done in May last was about 70 per cent, of that done in May, 1014, and it has since fallen off to 50 per cent, livery. one, however, anticipates brilliant business as soon as the war is. over, and meantime everyone who can possibly do so is working for the army. The' dovernment, having so many offers, lias become very particular as'to what it accepts. It pays for everything by cash —or rather cheques on the Reichsb'ank. QUESTION OF ANNEXATION.

Three days old French newspapers are eagerly bought and read, and French can now be spoken in the streets of BerPn without the speaker being subjected to annoyance, which was not tl.e case six months ago. About 10,000 Russians, men and women, are said to be still living in Berlin', and to be pursu'ng their avocation as usual, except for the obligation to appear at the police office twice daily. Berlin, in short, "is living as normally as possible; the people are earning a great deal of money, and from their standpoint have no reason to be anxious about the future." One curious piece of information is given, which 1 reproduce for what it is worth; —"A generally well-informed person," pays the writer, "who has spent several months in Brussels at the Government headquarters, said to inc: 'The heads of affairs in the Empire are not thinking at all of keeping any of the invaded territories, although public and military opinion art frankly for annexation. It K? in order not to deceive anyone now that this subject i} allowed to be rno.'o «r lesa dh cu.*,ed,'"