Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-22
GERMANS FIGHT
FOR GERMANY
German Reservist, Now United
States Citizen, Not Permitted
to Enlist.
MAN is NOW RETURNING HOME
Viruinian Who Wanted to Serve the
Kaiser Writes How Plans
Went AWry.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-According to let.
ter just received by A. w. Schmidt OF
2415 Newkirk Ave, from naturalized
American who recently went to Ger
many to fight for his native country
the authorities refused to accept him
because he had become an American
citizen. "The privilege of dying on
the field of honor for Germany is re-
served for German citizens" he was
told. According to him, Germany
still has more soldiers than she knows
what to do with.
The writer of the letter is Hans
Schlichting, prosperous dealer in
orchard and farm products of Winches
ter, Va. He says:
81 trust you received my postal
greetings and l am now keeping my
promise to write you more in detail
We had good passage and all went
we'll. On two occasions our ship was
stopped by British cruisers, but no one
came on board. Not until we were
lying before the port of Dover did any
British officers come on board. We
were there II hours, but the English
did not attempt to interfere with any
of the passengers. We reached Rot.
terdam the next day, but were not per-
mitted to start for the frontier until
the following morning.
AT Bentheim, the German frontier
station, our passports (there were
three of us, all Americans), were de.
clared to lack proper authorization.
We had failed to obtain the certifica-
ton of the German consul. | hoped to
get by on the strength of my old GER
tificate of military service and final.
ly persuaded the authorities to COM
municate with headquarters at Han.
over with regard to my case. Two
days later came the answer: eve
can make no more exceptions to the
rule"
"That meant a return journey to
inconvenience and expense we sue
ceeded in getting back our passes.
After that there was no more difficulty
and l proceeded straight to Berlin.
"My relatives were very much sur.
prised to see me, as you can imagine.
Immediately after the Christmas holt
days ! reported to the military author
tiles of the district and to my old regi-
ment. In both places they refused to
accept me on the ground that / had
become an American citizen and had
thereby forfeited my right to serve in
the German army. Many of my old
comrades were still with the regiment
and it was bitterly disappointing to
them as we'll as to myself that was
unable to realize my wish.
"This insistence upon the letter Of
the law in times like these will show
you how we'll matters stand with the
German people. More than ever l am
convinced of Germany's ultimate vic
tory. The will to win is the dominant
factor in German life today, and the
people are ready for any and every
sacrifice to that end. The barracks
are all filled to overlooking. My old
company, the Third. numbers $40 men.
because of the crowded conditions.
The one ambition of the wounded is
to get back into the fighting.
"The way in which German industry
has organized to meet the incidental
difficulties brought on by the war is
simply marvellous. Business is boom.
ing everywhere. There are no men out
of work. The Federal Government is
the create employer of labor and has
bread enough and work enough for
everyone. shall be back in Brooklyn
next month and hope to see you then"