The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-16

Berlin, November 4-(Special Corre- spondence.) .)-Somewhere in the Balkans, fighting with the German legions. there is an American soldier of fortune, risen from the ranks and now a sergeant, who has had life of thrills and adven- lures. His name is George L. Bode. He is product of San Francisco, where he was born, and from where he started on the trail of adventure which took him to the Philippines and to the China coast, to the Russo-Japanese war, to revolution ary Mexico and then to fratricidal Flu rope. He looked for trouble where he could find it. Now he is in the midst of the greatest conflict of all times and is thriving on it.
 Fifteen months ago Bode was with Villa in Mexico-his sword sold to Pan cho." On a hot August night Bode and four other Americans sat around mar ble-topped table of some Chihauhau can tina when the news of the great war i'll Europe came. The magnitude of the impending conflict appealed to them all as offering greater things than the com monplace troubles of Mexico, and they all determined to go to this big affair. There were five of them, and they de- cided each to select an army to join. France, Germany, Russia and England offered fields of activity, but numbered only four. It was decided that the fa- nous French Foreign Legion should be considered the fifth unit The problem of which of the soldiers of fortune should go to which army at once became ap- parent, and it was quickly decided to leave it to chance, as the soldiers of fortune left most things.
 The muchacho brought the dice box and the quintet rolled out their fate on the marble top of the table. One man got England, another the Legion, another Russia. Bode got Germany.
 In the night the five hastily gathered all available resources and fitted across the border and started east "Pancho' Villa was left to look after his revC- lItion as best he might The five speed fly separated and are now scattered far and wide. Some of them may be dead Bcde went to England, stopped there a few days and came on to Germany. He had little knowledge of the language, but ho had a soldiers experience. He had served in the Fourth United States in- fantry and the Fourth United States cav airy and he was taken into the German army.
 He went to the western front and was in the great German drive for Paris. He
 
 German army into the soil of France In the trenches he won the Iron Cross for galls ntry in throwing fusing hand 'grenade out Of trench. He was pro- noted, too, and later he became a top sergeant. a
 After a few months in France Bode' 8 regiment was withdrawn to participate in the great offensive against Russia Thirty miles day he and his comrades marched for days on end and Bode t last saw plenty of fighting. When the attack on Russia came to end Bode's organization came back to the center of things once more.
 He has just been in Berlin and is now in the Balkans engaged in the operations against Servia. In selling his sword to Germany Bode is not getting wealthy, for even as sergeant his pay is only 8 few marks a week, but he is getting rich reward of adventure.
 Rode started young on his rowing life. entering the American navy when only boy, as an apprentice. He served his