Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-09
German Tells Ho,D
He Escaped From
Europea,, War Zone

~,
freedom. out of misery home. back to
the land of the flesh pots. When one
is confined to place. he wants to get
out. 1t is human nature. That was
the situation of about 100000 American
tou. lists in Europe. Imagine the streets
of Rotterdam crowded with Americans.
Thousands of them flocking to that
little kingdom. The writer was snugly
located in a little town in northern
Germany and for the sake Of keeping
in touch with affairs took weekly pill
grimages to Hamburg, where our gem
eral consul. Mr.. Morgan, tried to pacify
the excited Americans with promised
ships. He had hard time, for ships
there were none and consequently none
could come. But be it said to his credit.
he kept his patience far better than
the 2x4 clerk, a Mr.. Stewart. who
thought by virtue of his office he had q
right to impose upon the inquiring
public. In fact, he was the most dis
agreeable man l ever me-, and if l
were William Jennings, his political
head would be chopped off. All during
the month of August We were still
awaiting some way to get 20 this coun-
try. About Sept We were instructed
by our consul to go post haste to Hol-
! land, that being the only gate open for
passage. After chat date cur govern
| ment would no more be responsible
and would not aid and pro:ect Ameri-
cans in Germany. And VIC went to
! Rotterdam-went mighty quick-would
not stand any chances.
With about siXty-five Americans we
boarded train at Hamburg. 1t was a
fast train as far as Osnabrueck. From
there we were to take a military train,
which ran once day ard had already
left the station several hours before.
i We were told to wait nine hours. We
petitioned the stationmaster for spe-
cial train to take us to the Holland
boundary. Within half hour an en-
CINE and three coaches stood ready to
arnment sent also an extra and we were
itaken in no time to the goal of our
! journey.
Be it said right here that We v
always treated with due cousiS on
! in Germany. On the third day mob
| ilization the secretary OF the interior
issued an order to all civil and mill
tary authorities to treat Americans
| with consideration. The business men
of Hamburg had collected large fund
| to aid the needy Americans.
We had ticket on the Holland
! American line to sail Sept. 26 from
Rotterdam But on arriving ct that
| city we were informed that the Uranr
| ium Steamship Company of London
| was fixing up a boat to take passen-
gers to New York. This looked good
! to us and cashing in our old ticket less
| Is per cent we bought passage on the
! Principello. We used pool judgment
The trough was allowed to carry $50
F! souls. but we were about 1000. We paid
| for cabin state rooms and got storage
| hunks, paid for good food and got
nothing. We sailed under the Union
Jack, were three times stopped by war
ships and once had to change our
| course on account Of mines. Fate was
against us. In place Of making New
| York in ten days. we used thirteen. For
1 eight days we had a fearful storm.
! We have long forgotten all trials and
\ tribulations. And as we look back one
4 is surprised at what man can endure
only for the sake of getting back to the
! good old home. Never shall 1 forget
| the feeling when in the twilight OF
| Sept. % we first saw the glimpses OF
| the land OF the setting sun. The statue
of liberty never looked 50 inviting as
she did when this scribe, together with
| about 700 COMMUNICATIONS, entered
| the harbor of New York. 1t seemed to
us as tho she wanted to say: "Come,
sons and daughters who have been
harrassed in a foreign land, here is
Fellowship, love and peace" Let me as
sure you, we breathed more freely
when we set foot on the soil of this
land. AS we walked the streets of that
I oil wa att h.
one of the many that proclaim to the
world, This is the land of the free and
! the home Of the oppressed We be-
lieve it does all citizens good to take a
| trip now and then to the other side of
the pond. They all come lack better
| citizens.
| We are home now, the children are
attending school, the writer is follow :
| ing his vocation. we have met our
] m -ass ends who, with us, rejoiced
I letting again on this old earth.
Never looked the plains Of old Iowa SO
good to US. We came thru York state
and part of Canada, noted the way
people way back east" farm, but or
| our arrival we took a trip to a good
old Iowa farm where peace reigns.
| They may boast Of beautiful sunsets
| in Switzerland (the writer saw them).
| but is there anything better than the
autumn sunset on the western plains
Are not all colors and shades repre-
sented? L have oftX called my fam
| ily's attention to this splendid pana-
roma. And this all to be had in good
old Iowa. Yes. glad TO be back among
| friends and fellow citizens to start
again in our activities and enjoy life
| in the land of the free.
| We had our troubles and trials and
! We are reminded OIL poem written by
| Holland:
"The fountain Of joy is fed by tears.
And love is lit by the breath of signs.
The deepest griefs and the widest
| fears,
| Have hottest ministries.
DAY will come with newer boon
| God will remember the world;
Night will come with newer boon,
| God will remember the world"
| G. r. WRAGE.
| GIadbrook, Iowa. Oct. Z, 1914.
IOWA FALLS GIRL WEBS.