The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-07-30
Former Dyer at Knitting Mills
Has Been in War Zone
From fridays Daily.

Fraus Franken. who used to be
employed as dyer at the MankatoI
Knitting mills, and who spent ten
months in Europe after the outbreak
of the war. purchasing dyes, is now
in Mankato visiting friends, and he
has much In say that is very inter
esting
Il do not see why the Americans
will persist in travelling on British
ships" said Mr. Franken To a Free
Press representative today. They
could Just as well travel on Dutch
and American ships. | should thinK
they would realize that the English
ships are liable TO be torpedoed at
any moment. | was in Holland, Bel
GUM. France. England, Germany
Sweden and Norway, buying dyes
tor | knew they were going to be ex-
tremely scarce in America ana hol
travel on any English ships. | would
not take the risk.
Made Good Profit.
During those ten months that
was doing my buying OF dyes ana
shipping them To America. | got
about eighty tons in all. You may
READILY believe that | made good
profit on them. | do not see why
England will not permit German dyes
10 come To America II is Just the
domineering way of England. BY
cutting of the German dyes from
America. England is depriving four
hundred thousand American people or
their livelihood.
III is very hard now 10 get any
DYES from Europe. get aniline dyes
from the Dutch Color and Chemical
Wcrks AT Delft. Holland. | have the
exclusive agency for America.
Stopped BY British Cruiser.
II went over 10 Europe shortly after
the outbreak OF the war. went on
the Ryndam OF the Holland American
line We wers stopped III mid ocean
by four English cruisers. Three oil
them stccd quite "a distano" oil. form
ing triangle. OF which we were the
center Their guns We're pointed al our
ship. The fourth cruiser approached
rs and some OF the officers boarded
our ship. We were ordered to the bay
AT Queenstown. Ireland We were held
here and there four different times
by English ships before We managed
10 proceed on our way 10 RStterdam.
but we finally got there. Once We were
stopped by an English submarine. and
il did lock strange 10 see our big snip
doing what was ordered from that tiny
craft. | once complained 10 one OF the
English captains. That was while we
were delayed at Queenstown | said !
was neutral citizen and ! did not
see why we should be so delayed in
oar Journey from one neutral country
TO another. The captain said there was
no communication by boat between
England and the continent. That was
lie But none OF us could go until the
English let our ship proceed.
On reaching Holland. learned that
there was Il chance to get fifteen tons
OF dyes from Brussels. SO ! at once
sent an order for these dyes to be
shipped INFO Holland. then went in
TO Germany from Holland TO buy dyes.
When | got back from successful
tGip to that country, | was told that
my Brussels dyes never got any furth =
or than Antwerp. The Germans were
besiee;ng Antwerp. BIZ; | was deter
mined 10 get my dyes
Il Travelled to the vicinity of Ant
werp. | approached the German lines
taking care 20 wave white handker-
chief ! approached the German sen
tinel. who pointed his gun at me.
spoke to him in German and asked
him not TO shoot | said | was a Hol-
lander and friend told him had
very i'll friend in Antwerp and | felt
that | must see him. He was a very
dear friend The man said he
thought there was no use of my try
Ing il but he consented To have mt
sent before his captain.
Luckily. knew that captain. He
used to be a travelling demonstrator
and was in the habit OF visiting my
fathers textile plant ut Tillburg, Hol-
land. lie recognized me and he gave
me an escort through the German
lines. On the way we had to pass
through the German field kitchen
There they were cooking pea soup. II
smelled mighty good and appetizing
| was asked if | would have some. but
! said would have 10 go on my way
You see | was anxious TO get hold OF
my dyes
II must not forget to tell you that
while | was passing the German sen
tinel one of those huge fourteen in eli
German shells whiZzed over our heads
The wind that il caused was so strong
that il fairly took us off our feet We
watched in the direction where il
went. and heard the explosion within
;he city. We saw a huge mass of dirt
and debris flying where IL seemed tC
have lit
The German lines were passed. and
] next had the job Of passing the Bel
eian lines. ] approached Belgian
sentinel. again waving white hand
kerchief over my head. told him in
French that ! had very sick friend
in Antwerp and must get to him. He
said he did not see how ii could be
done. told him was a Hollander
and that our cOuntrymen were very
kind to his countrymen. when they
fled to our country. ! did not see why
the Belgian would not do something
for us. At length he sent me before
his captain and the captain said
could pass the lines He marked
that tie Germans would soon be fol-
lowing me anyhow.
Found Shipment of Dyes.
AT length reached what is known
as Quaivan Dyke, on the Antwerp
docks. Here | found my shipment OF
dyes. Ii seems wonder that they
were not Sfolau Nohodv caamod m