DESERTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9630, 10 April 1917, Page 3

DESERTERS

GERMANS IN HOLLAND INSTANCES OF INGRATITUDE AND THEFT. The longer tho war goes on, writes the Amsterdam correspondent of tho London “Times/’ the more frequently do cases of desertion from the German Army occur, and almost every da/ sees deserters dropping into the editorial offices of the great Dutch newspapers, especially of tho “anti-German” ones, where they come to ask for assistance. Sometimes they come singly humble, destitute, seldom decently claci,_ and with a frightened and suspicious look. Often also rhey come in couples or in threes or even more, dejected groups, showing signs of the merciless conflict from ivnich they have escaped, it would be safe to say, indeed, that among the many deserters now entertained by hospitable Holland—and there are hundreds, possibly thousands —there is hardly ono who retains anything of tho detestable arrogance which was so characteristic or these men ia tho days before the war, and which is undiminished in the countless Germans sojourning in this country for various purposes, such as business, legitimate or illegitimate. • ' Nothing could exceed the melancholy indifference of tho German deserter. It is hot with pride that he relates that he has been three times wounded*- has been sent from West to East and from East to South, that he has been struck by a shrapnel splinter in a Galician fortress and been decorated with the Iron Cross. Ho relates his experiences as things exterior to himself, as an excuse for the fact that he • has finally given up the struggle. The German deserter becomes bitter after ho has relieved his overwhelmed feelings in broken sentences sometimes even embellished with typicaj.lv: German expressions wliAch have stuck in his memory from triumphant Army Orders and trench literature. Ho asks if one has anything for him to do. Ko is without resources and his fellowcountrymen in foreign countries send him away with tho scornful reproach that he is a traitor and that they loathe tho sight of him. He sums up hi! avlancholy list;— - "I have done a year on the Tser, been sent thence to Galicia, and finally hare fought in Eoumania, and all that, time I have keen suffering from consumption. I have received the Iron Cross, first and second class, and my wife and three children can hardly make both ends meet, while for myself iw fingers have become absolutely stiff. -What have my fellow-countrymen in Holland done? Hade war profits. And they send me away when after these two rears of indescribable ' suffering, / I invoke their help!" THE DESERTERS' UNION. German deserters -willingly allow themselves to ho 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, but have latelyestablished a union at Alkmaar which they have christened “Deserters' Union —The Free Workers,” in remembrance of a not altogether alluring past. Ihe union hopes as far as possible to render assistance to tho members. When the report of the establishment of tho union penetrates to tho frontiers many Landsturmers 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 tho Deserters' Union will look after their interests. , The frontier correspondents of tho Dutch newspapers have piquant examples to relate of the experiences of German deserters. Thus one man left Isenbruck on New Year’s Eve while sis jealous colleagues fired six shots after Him. Marvellous to say, not one of them hit lim. 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’ro pretty fellows, to fire six shots at a man without hurting him. No Prussian soldier does that. I am ’ashamed of yon, therefore good-bye I" A deserter of 33 years of age coming from Elten arrived at Zevenaar on Dutch territory in uniform and armed with his sword. He had lived for 20 years in Arnhem, in the Dutch province of Geldorland, and had been four .times rejected for the German army, until at last, about six months ago, he was approved for service. He passed all 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 wife 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 beside her on the platform.

German deserters do not only come over the German frontier, but also over the Belgian, and they exercise all their intelligence in order to avoid the live ■wire 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 desertion of their Highest War Lord to be observed among them % Indeed, a small band of Germans who entered a barber’s shop at Maastricht about Christmas gave the contrary impression. They came four together to be shaved, and the tale they told about their poverty and distress was so heartrending that the good barber was touched and resolved 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 hem 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 Christmas Bar- the guests wished their benefactor a happy Christmas and could not find words enough to express their thanks for the 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 pay a family visit to Valkenburg immediately after dinner. The Germans asked with great interest whether they were going there by train. The barber uns'uspiciously replied in the affirmative. IVhen the familv returned home at 6 o'clock the whole house was upside down, although there was not a trace of housebreaking. Apparently the doors and cupboards had been opened with skeleton kevs. Investigation showed that a savings bank book tad fens 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 searched it was found that they had upon them some of the cigars, together with other of the stolen property. The

police hare 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.