Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-02-15
AN INTERNATIONAL
DIFFICULTY.

2ahS 0SSA1A anu 0EtlCueu SlletSt
were German peasants. aged respec-
lively sixteen and fifteen. Their IA
Tiers little farms adjoined, and they
went to school together. Hans was a
tall, dark eyed young fellow, with fine
frame, though not get properly filed
out. Gretchen looked out Of a pair of
mild blue eyes. and a heavy coil Of
hair the hue Of fax hung down her
back TO her knees. The two had played
together as children and when they
came into their teens were still In
separabIe.
One day Hans, after a consultation
With his father, told Gretchen that he
was going to America. An uncle had
written from there that II Hans would
come out he would give him place in
his brewing business and help him to
make a fortune. The offer had been ac-
cepted. Hans would soon be seventeen
years old. an age, when every German
man must serve his term of military
duty before leaving the fatherIand,
therefore 1t had been determined that
he should go before his next birthday.
Hans and Gretchen were as ignorant
of love as at the day they were born.
When Hans told her that he was go
ing to America she turned pale, made
few little breath catches, then tears
began to well up in her blue eyes.
Hans, too. felt choking in his throat.
He folded her in his arms. For the
first time 1t dawned upon them that
they were lovers.
The day before Hans was seventeen
he sailed for America. His uncle. who
had made money, gave him an oppor-
tunity. He told him that IL he would
remain at the business for ten years
without returning to Germany he
| might have years vacation, at the
end Of which he would receive block
Of the stock Of the brewing company
! that would make him rich and he
should, II competent. be its manager.
! AT the end of the time Hans had COM
| piled with the conditions and proved
himself well fitted for managers po-
sition.
Hans and Gretchen had correspond
ed and pinned for each other. and vt the
expiration OF the ten years Hans went
to Germany. He found Gretchen a
lovely woman, though still peasant,
and they were married 1t was In tile
summer. and they spent their Aoney-
moon In Switzerland A coufle Of
months before the expiration Of Hans
vacation his wife presented him with
a son. But alas the boy was born
with a club foot
When Hans and his family were
about 10 sail for America an officer
served paper on him distraining him
from leaving Germany till he had
served his term In the army. Then
Hans knew what he had not known
! before or had forgotten-that II he re-
manned more than nine months in Ger
many he again became a German cit.
izen and liable to military duty.
Here was a misfortune. To remain
In Germany for the purpose Of hang
ing around barrack for several years
would be equivalent to giving up
fortune In America. Hans knew that
the law on this subject was inexorable
and was about to write his uncle re-
llnquishing his interests In the brew
Ing company when he discovered that
the period spent In Switzerland had
made him alien to Germany. He could
stay in the fatherland for nine months
more before again becoming German
citizen. This gave him a leeway Of
nearly two months. His wife was in
poor health. aud he deferred his de-
parture for the United States till few
days before the expiration Of the Sec
ond nine months period, which would
again make him German citizen,
On reaching New York he found that
II the fatherland is jealous of her sons
leaving her shores without having done
military service the United States is
equally jealous of any one coming
within her borders who is not In all
respects desirable citizen. Little
Heinrich Becker's club foot was an
iusurmountable obstacle to his being
admitted TO the national domain. In
vain his father pleaded that he would
not permit his boy to become a bur
| den ON the American people. The law
refusing crlpples is as memorable as
the law respecting army service in
Germany. though the reason for it is
more humane.
1t seemed that the only plan for the
Becker family wound be to go back to
Germany. But IL this plan were adopt
cd the husband and father would reach
German shores shortly after the ex-
piratiOn Of the nine months period.
which would make him liable to mill,
tary duty. Hans began to wish that
the nations OF the world would unite
under one government, so that he
might be citizen Of ALL He was
wanted In Germany. where he could
not make a respectable living, that the
emperor might be prepared to fight
the powers; he was kept out of the
United States, whore a fortune await.
ed him. because his son happened to
be born with a club foot.
However, Hans Becker had become
an American and did not complain Of
the exceptional injustice of just laws.
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