Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-18
Experiences OF American
Newspaper Correspondents
at European ''Front."
ATTEMPT TO Interview
GERMAN COMMANDMENT
Loss of Shoe Still Unexplained.
Discomforts of Belt Of Gold.
Hotel Bill Overlooked.
BY HERBERT COREY.

LONDON, October 9.-Even war has its
humors. This comic relief is just now
being furnished by the American war
correspondents. So far as heard from.
they may be broadly divided into two
classes: Those who tried to go to the
front and couldn't and those who tried
to go to the front and were placed under
detention. At this writing none seems
to have suffered more than inconvenience.
Even John Fortescue was only annoyed.
Fortescue was somewhere in the in
terror of Belgium when the Germans
swarmed in on the town. Mr.. Fortescue
put on a clean collar and went out to
interview the commandant of the German
forces. He wanted to find out all about
it Then he thought he would send
nice. vivid story home. So Mr.. Fortescue
found the commandant of the Germans.
He had no trouble about it, because as
soon as he got on the streets posse
of large Germans carrying heavy. brutal
looking guns took charge of his opera
tions.
IT am an American newspaper man."
said Mr.. Fortescue to the commandant.
The commandant said: Verdommt
Yankee"-or words to that effect.
There does not exist report of this
interview distinguished by the terseness
Then the large Germans led Mr.. ForteScue
back to his hotel He had been occupy
ing a very desirable room. with bath.
They locked him up in very inferior
room in the servants quarters and then
forgot him. Ultimately, it is understood,
the Germans marched away and Mr..
Fortescue was released.
Sam Blythe and His Shoe.
Sam Blythe went to Paris. There he
suffered no particular inconvenience, ex-
cept that the cafes closed on him like
an oyster. and the few taxicabs were
being used by soldiers. and the whole
town was so dark and lonesome that it
made him think Of a wet Sunday In
Xenia, Ohio. Until one morning he
awakened to find that only one of the
pair of shoes he had placed outside his
door the night before had reappeared
He sent for the femme de chambre the
valet. the waiter, the hairdresser and
the carriage starter without getting any
sent for the manager. The manager
wears 6 black beard, cut spinach fashion
'Rameses." said Mr.. Blythe, where is
my shoe?
He had to tell the story all over again
to the manager. The manager told him
about the horrors of war. Mr. Blythe
refused to be diverted from the main
issue.
Where is my shoe?" he reiterated.
Mr.. Blight" said the manager
rather happy touch 1 call it-"NIr
Blight. this hotel has been open for
sixty years. In all that time no one has
ever reported that one shoe had disap-
peared during the night. What time did
You come In last nightr'
This annoyed Mr.. Blythe, who is living
on mineral water just now He wanted
situation.
Because" said the manager. 81 am
that If h3,L
member that when you came in last
night you were. wearing only one Shoe
FROM TINS conviction the manager
persists in the belief that a one-legged
burglar ravaged the hotel
when Irwin s. Cobb left New York
he carried great deal of gold with
him, for the expenses of himself and
others He carried his gold in belts,
which were laced about him. Mr.. Cobb
is in reality of a dainty and esthetic
nature, but he doesn't look it. Ad-
herring to the belief that the curve is
many curves. When he walked into
the Savoy Hotel in London he bent
over like a man carrying a ruck sack
filled with chilled steel safes, and
groaned bitterly. He saw friend.
Take me to your room." said he.
Hurry
So the friend took him to room and
unlaced him No money belt ever
made would surround Mr. cobb's
periphery unless it were made for
truck horse. The strings which filled
the gaps between the ends of the va
rious money belts had cut into Mr..
Cobb.s ia ssde until he was raw. and
he was so tired from carrying that
load of gold that after amounting his
wounds he turned into his friends bed
and slept for hours. He said he had
never before sympathized with the
moneyed classes.
They Held Up John McCutcheon.
John McCutcheon tried to start for
Belgium one morning on an $40 train.
1t is not the custom of the Savoy Hotel
10 serve breakfasts to persons who get
up at such plebeian hours. 1t savors
of Americanism. So that McCutcheon
clamored in the breakfast room until
he finally extorted little mess of ham
and eggs from the head waiter and
then fell upon a taxi and scooted for
his train. friend went with him.
I'll put your bags aboard" said the
friend. You get your ticket"
But at one minute of train time Nc
Cutcheon had not appeared. The
friend hurried back to see what had
happened. He found McCutcheon in
me clutches OF the two latest door
Porters OF the SAVOY. He was nervous
ly searching his pockets.
Il forgot to pay my BILL he ex-
planned, while 1 was worrying over
not getting breakfast These fellows
traced me here and have held me up- !"
I'll pay the BILL, said the friend.
Beat it for your train. It's starting
now.
mo, SIR said the latest porter.
This gentleman here owes the bill,
sir. He must pay il, sir.
1t was so ordered.
Richard Harding Davis got into
Brussels 1t cost him all the money
he had to get there. and in accordance
with his invariable custom he was
then detained by the Germans while
they marched through the town. He
got courier out with a plea for funds.
The courier reached Davis connection
in London.
Maybe the American embassy can
get some money in to him. said his
connection. The American embassy. on
being queried. said 1t certainly could
So the courier was dismissed Next
day the connection went to the en-
bassy with the money for Davis
Very good" said the embassy Now
call in your courier and we will send
this money to Davis"
THE courier has gone back to Bel
gium." said the connection. I'VE don't
know him, anyhow
Then we can't help you," said the
embassy.
Not Prohibited by Law.
For an American firm to manufac.
ture fntrenchinR Shoyels and nick ma