LIFE IN GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1919, Page 5

LIFE IN GERMANY.

UNDER THE FLAG OF THE BRITISH. Mrs W. D. Bayley, wife of one of the Canadian prohibition campaigners now in New Zealand, has received the following letter from her -brother, Captain A. 1). Mcßae, M.C., who is npw with the army of occupation beyond the Rhine. Captain Mcßae, writing from Bonn, Germany, on December 10, says:— "Here we are at last at the Rhine, and at present located in the above fair city. This is a university city, and a very fine one. Ido not know the population, but should judge somewhere between one and two hundred thousand; the buildings are very fine indeed, and it is well located, Wo crossed the border into Germany on the morning of December 4th, and have been on the move almost daily since landing here at noon to-day. We surely have these birds where we want them now, and they have to watch their step and step lively too. It is rather funny walking into some swell house, looking it over, and then telling the Hun proprietor which room you intend to live in for the night. The men all have to raise their hats to the officers and flag us as we pass along the roads or through the cities. Sometimes they try to slink by, or feeling chesty decide not to do so, and as a consequence get them knocked off. The ones with felt hats usually figure the best, as it is a simple matter to swipe a felt hat off with a cane without greatly damaging the cranium under it, whereas those with peak caps usually get the odd jolt on the "Bean" as well as losing .(he hat. For miles after crossing the frontier (ho country is very scarcely settled, but as we ncarcd the Rhine it got. quite thickly settled, with lots of little towns and villages. There is only one language the Hun understands, and he is just foxy enough | In know that he would be out of luck if ho did not do what was wanted of him, so we find the world conquerors of last March quite willing to lick one's boots. Talk about kids—there are thousands of them; never saw so many in my life. They are greatly pleased with the show of course, and follow the band for great ways. The talk and noise put up by the Him about the people over here starving is all rot—and but a game of the wily Hun to try and gain sympathy."