GERMAN HATE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16663, 7 April 1916, Page 95

GERMAN HATE

DUNEDIN LADY'S EXPHSHKNCSE. SPIES EVERYWHERE. Miss May Barron, a daughter of Mr Wm. Barron, of Oaversham, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday night after an absence in England and the Continent of oyer three years. Miss Barron had been studying zmisio in Lmpaic, at the outbreak of the war, and eight months elapsed before she was enabled to get across the border to Holland. In the course of a short interview yesterday with a Daily Times reporter, Miss Barron gave some interesting particulars of her experiences. She spoke of tie implacable hatred of tho Germans for the British. The German cation had been led by its newspapers to believe that it was absolutely certain that it was through Britain that the war had been brought about. _ Tho Germans had always had a quarrel with France, whom they believed they would have settled very quickly, and they had also no fear of the Russians. Presumably, they did not expect Britain to enter into the war, and her advent had upset their calculations. Hi© Germans were terrified of the British navy, and fear had added fuel to their hate. They have only one regret about the war, flnd that is that they did not march through Belgium a week earlier. But tho Kaiser was not anxious to fight, till the sword had been placed in his hand! "The Kaiser is to them a god," said Miss Barron. " Everything that oomes from headquarters is believed unquestionably. Tlie ma® in Saxony are harmless, hard-working people, and believe ovepftiling that is told them." While in Leipsio, and later on, when she resided in Ohonjniti, whither she had been ordered to remove, Miss Barron, with other foreigners, was kept under constant surveillance by tho polioe. £jhe had to report herself twice daily to the authorities —at 9 a-m. and 5 p.m. On the other hand tho Russians had to report themselves only onoe a week Miss Barron stated that it ■was really remarkable how the secret servioe was acquainted with the history of every foreigner residing in Germany, the system whereby, in peace time, a record had to be kept of visitors staying at 1 hotels proving most valuable in assisting the polioe on the outbreak of war.

She related how two German youths called At her flat to say good-bye to her and hor ■friends, and on leaving the flat—as she learned subsequently—they were arrested. Fortunately, said Miss Barron, our account, of the circumstance, when the polioe waited , on us, coincided with that of the two German youths when they were put under examination. ' " The police dogged our footsteps, and I never dared to stop to read any extras relating to the war which I might notice posted on the walb, eta ... Fortunately,l we had money to pay our way, but one poor Australian boy who frankly admitted that his money was exhausted, waa informed by the German authorities they would take care of him, and he was thereupon put in gaol, and given hard labour. A lot of people were, shot in Leipsio while I was there for one thing or another." Miss Barron, gave an instance of German hatred. A young Australian girl had an affection of the throat which required cauterisation. She called at a specialist at Chemnitz, but was informed by the nurse attendant that it was doubtful whether the doctor would see was British. However, the doctor', decided' 'to 6ee her, but he would not speak to her. All instructions were given to the patient through the nurse. Hius, " Tell her (the patient) to open her mouth; • tell her to close it," etc.

"There is no person in this world the German is so down on," continued Miss Barron, "as those foreigners in Germany who have not become naturalised, and have thus escaped compulsory military service. They have enjoyed all the privileges of residence in Germany, as - they put it, but have not faced the responsibilities of military service. I knew two British boys whose father had lived in Germany all his life, but had not become naturalised. These lads could only speak German, and their feeling was German; they desired, in fact, to fight with lie German armies. They, however," were not accepted, and finally were interned with other foreigners in Ruhleben. It was impossible to change your nationality in Germany after the war had commenced." "If we could only get over to England," eay the German soldiers. They have been told that the Allies were the first to use poisonous gases. Their newspapers put it this way, 'We only used poisonous gases because our enemies started using ' them; Is that fair to our men ? Must we not pay them back in their own coin?' All "the iriurderous steps taken by Germany to destroy the enemy are said to have first originated by the Allies. The Germans say they are merely giving tit for tat. Miss Barron spoke in .high praise of the wonderful organisation of the German military and secret servioe Bysteme. It was 6injply impossible to move without the necessary papers, and the taking and examination of the finger prints was an everyday occurrence. Miss Barron was, as already stated, enabled to make her escape from Germany to Holland. She was given to understand that if she got to the border at midnight on a certain date she would be allowed to go, 'but that if troops Were )b6ing moved, or a train was delayed, then no doubt the chance to leave would have passed. She had to change from trains eight times, and was not allowed to move from the stations. Miss Barron says that there was a distinct feeling ,of unrest even when she was in Holland. The mass of the. people were in favour of the Allies, while the governing classes favoured the Germans. . The Hollanders, however, were between the " devil and the deep eea," as if they sided with Germany they . would lose their enormously wealthy .colonics.'",. Still, they were but a very <omi.ll nation as against Germany, and the same remark applied to Denmark. Miss Barron remarked that Queen Wilhelmina," of Holland, had never forgiven Britain over the Boer war. On arriving in England Miss Barron says she was simply furious at the slackness shown there in the treatment of enemy subjects. These, in a great many cases, simply changed their, nationality, and called themselves Swiss or Danes, etc." She .was later given to understand tnat this slackness was due to the enormous cost of organising effective police control. Since living in England she had had an opportunity of witnessing the effect of _ Zeppelin raids. She said she had no patienco with, those who belittled the Zeppelin danger. In contusion, Miss Barron said that she had gone through an experience which she would cer-' tainly prefer to look back on than look forward to.