Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-10-08
EXCELLENT LETTER
FROM REV. STAFF
r0S Sc S Atlantic Under
war Time ir CUM
stances Peculiar In
cidents ReC0un-
ted

written Expressly for the JEFF
ferson County Union).
American tourists were not tumb--
ling over one another to leave for
Europe during the last week of Au-
gust, 1914. The steamer, United
States, on which l sailed from New
York for Copenhagen is not a large
ship as modern Transatlantic steam
ers go. Yet on its last trip from
Europe it carried nearly 1900 passen-
gers. Returning to Europe one week
later it carried about 150- mostly
fools. More than 1000 applications for
passage by German and Austrian re-
servists had been refused Denmark,
under whose flag the United States
sails, was a neutral state when We
left New York. Whether it would re
main so till our arrival in Copen-
hagen twelve days later no one could
tell. 1t was a matter of common
knowledge also that the North Sea
was full of mines. Just before we
sailed the cherefuI news was receiv--
ed that another Danish steamer be-
longing to the same company aus ours
had been destroyed by a mine in
he North Sea. Mines, once laid are
no respectors of neutral flags
We had many reminders of war ON
the way. An American batleship
stopped us in New York harbor, while
an officer examined the ships pa
pers and cargo. Three hours out of
New York we came in sight OF the
black and threatening British man
of war, the Essex, lying in wait for
German or Austrian ships. On the
morning of the seventh day out the
captain announced that he had re-
ceived orders by wireless to change
his course and steer North of the
mines in the usual course between
Scotland and the Arkney Islands.
Three or four miles north Of the
Shetland islands we were overtaken
and stopped by two British torpedo
boads An officer came on board, but
he made only a perfunctory investi
CATION He returned to his own ship
enriched with a bundle of American
and a box of cigars. Three
Jo+o in
this time by cruiser. This time
most thorough search was made both
for contraband gooGs and contraband
men. Three military looking Germans
who have been in the diplomatic SER
vice manifested considerable relief
when they were allowed to remain.
All the steerage passengers had to
pass in review before English Off
Ger, but no Germans were found.
There was a decided change in the
nature of the news we received from
warsWept Europe after We came with
in reach of the Norwegian wireless
stations. Up to that time everything
had been favorable to France and
England. Now we were told of Ger
man victories in France, of panic in
Paris, and of the removal of the
French government to Bordeaux i
all of which is very important, if
true.
In Christiana one-half of our male
passengers threw off the mask and
declared themselves frankly to be
German reservists. Not wishing to
take any more chances they left the
ship there, travelling the rest of the
way by train, so far as possible. They
had played their part well. One tray
elled as lieutenant of the .. ).
navy. Another who was quite dark
skinned, as a Peruvian. One left a
note apologizing for the Lies he had
told. The captain remarked the next
day that he had never before carried
so large a proportioned of skilled
liars.
1t is not cheap to live in the Scand
navian countries these days. Armed
neutrality comes high though not as
high as real war On the day war
was declared between Germany and
England a sack of American rye flour
rose in price from 20 kr. at 200
p. m. to SO k. at 4 900 p. m. in
Christiana. Now a government COM
mission fixes the price of foodstuffs
and those who charged so kr. for
sack of rye flour are compelled to
refund % kr. ON demand of the orig
inal purchaser. Norway is democrat
ic. but in a crisis like this it much
prefers democratic paternalism to
democratic extortion.
l am going to Germany tomorrow
if can. If l cannot the attempt will
at least make me forget some Of my
other troubles, and that is what l am
in Europe for. FRED STAFF.