DESERTERS

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 85, 10 April 1917, Page 2

DESERTERS

GERMANS IN HOLLAND

INGRATITUDE AND THEFT.

The. longer the war goes on, writes the Amsterdam correspondent of the London. Times, the mo-re frequently do cases of desertion from the German array occur, and almost every day sees deserters dropping, into the editorial offices of the great Dutch newspapers,, especially of tihe "anti-German"' ones, where they, come to ask for assistance. Sometimes they come singly—humble, destitute, seldom decently clad, and with a frightened and suspicious look. Often also, they come in couples or in threes or even more, dejected groups, showing signs of the merciless conflict from which they have escaped. It would be safe to say, indeed, that among the many deserters now entertained by 'hospitable Holland—and' there axe hundreds,. possibly thousands—there is hardly one who retains anything 1 of the' detestable arrogance- which vras so characteristic of these men in the days- befora the war, and which, is' undiroinished in the. countless Germans, sojourning • inthis country for various purposes, such as: business, , legitimate ov illegitimate. '. Nothing could exceed the melancholy indifference of the German deserter. It is. not with pride that he relates that he has been tares, times wounded, has \been sent from West to East, and from Bast to South,, that he has been, struck by a shrapnel splinter in a Galician fortress and been decorated with the Iron Cross. He relates his experiences as things exterior to- himself, as an excuse for the- fact that he- has,, finally given up the struggle.. lie German deserter. becomes bitter after ho has relieved his • overwhelmed feelings in broken sentences sometimes- even embellished with typically. German expressions which have stuck in his memory from triumphant Army Orders and trench literature., He asks if one has- ajiything for him to do.' He is without resources and_ his fellowcountrymen in foreign, countries send him away with tto scornful reproach that he is a traitor and that they' loathe the sight of him. He- sums up his melancholy list : — "I have done a year on the Yser, been sent thence to Ctalicia, and finally have fought in Rumania, and aff that time 1 have been suffering from consumption. I have received the Iron. Gross, first and second class, and my wife, and three children can -hardly make both ends meet, while for myself my fingers have become absolutely stiJT. What have my' telk>w-eountrym6n in Holland done? Made war profits. And ■ they send me away .when, after these two years of indescribable 1 suffering, I invoke their, help!" . , THE DESERTERS" UNION. German, deserters willingly allow them-: selves to be interviewed for a- small payment, and so their complaint appears in the newspapers, and there are those who have asked in the press whether personal initiative could not. take steps to see that these men were assisted through a public institution. They, have, however, not waited for the realisation of such a plan, bnt have lately established a union at Alkmaar which they have christened "Deserters' Union—The Free Workers,", in remembrance of a not altogether alluring past. The union hopes as far as. possible to render assistance to the members. When tlie report of the establishment of the union penetrates to the. frontiers many Landsturniers will most probably gladly cross' the' border who have hitherto feared the suspicion which , the German, frontier guards entertain for each other. They will overcome this' ■apprehension and slip off to attractive Holland, where the Deserters' Union will look after their interests. The frontier correspondents of the Dutch newspapers have piquant examples, to relate of the experiences of German, deserters.. Thus, one man left Isenbruck on New Year's Eve while six jealouscolleagues fired sir shots after him. Marvellous to say, not one of them hit him. When he found himself on Dutch territory and had felt himself 'all over to convince; himself that he was all right,, he turned round and called contemptuously to the frontier guard who had approached within a short distance: "You're pretty fellows, to fire six shots, lat a m-an without hurting him. No Prussian soldier does that. lam asKam- | ed of yon, therefore good-bye!" A deserter of 33' years of age coming : from Elten arrived at Zevenaar on Dutch J.territory in uniform, and armed with I his sword. He had lived' for 20- years in. ! Arnhem, in the Dutch province of Gelderland, and had been four times rejected for the German Army, until- at last, about six 'months ago, he was approved for i service. He, passed all v this time at the garrison at Wesel, and a fortnight ago , his wife went to> visit him with the intention of returning homewards in' the : evening. The husband brought his tarife i on the return journey to the German ' frontier station of Elten. where he- bought 41b of bacon to take to the front, whither he would have to go after passing the great re-examination which had occurred on the previous day. _ The wife was rather surprised on, arriving at Zevenaar suddenly to find her husband standing i beside her on the platform. German deserters do not only come over the German frontier, but also over the Belgian, and tljey exercise all their intelligence in. order to avoid the live wive or to dodge the electric current, for the wire is charged at very uncertain times which are quite unknown to the men. THE BARBER AND HIS GUESTS. There is little trace of remorse at i desertion of their Highest War Lord to bo observed among them. Indeed, a small band of Germans who entered ;a. barber's shop at Maastricht about Ohristm&s gave the contrary impression. They came four together to be shaved, and the tale they told about their poverty a.nd distress was so heartrending that the good barber was touched and re- : solved to treat them right royally for. : once. He set a large kettle of coffee • in front of them and gave them food to eat to -their hearts' content. The ! quantity of bread, sausage, and ham , which the four caused to disappear in the twinkling of an eye is said to have been incredible. Two of them even persuaded the benevolent barber to give them lodging for the night. On Christ- . mas day the guests wished their bene- ' factor a happy Christmas, and could not find ..words enough to express ftheir thanks for tho hospitality they had enjoyed. About midday, when the family were preparing to assemble at the ( table, the four again exhibited a desire to participate in the midday meal. The barber, however, had been rather taken aback by their hearty appetite on the previous occasion. Moreover, he said that he and his wife had to pa-y a- family visit to Valkenburg immediately'after dinner. The Germans asked with great interest whether they were going there by train.The barber unsuspiciously replied in the affirmative. When the family returned home at 6 o'clock the whole house was upside down, although there was not a trace of housebrea-king. Apparently the doors and cupboards had been opened with skeleton keys. Investigation showed that a savings bank book had been taken away as well as a quantity of silver money, cigars, soap, and all kinds of clothing. The barber accidentally saw two of the German deserters sitting in a cafe on the same day, pointed them out to the police, and on their being BPjsrrJipd. it was found_ that Jthpjr^had 1-) 1

upon them some of the cigars, toge.ther with other of the stolen property. The police have detained . five .other men under suspicion—-all of them German deserters. Of course, such an exhibition of gratitude, is not invariable, 'and perhaps the Deserters' Union will contribute to raise the moral of the German deserter. .