The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-12-01
TRADING WRECKS OF MEN FROM WAR
PRISONS or GERMANY AND RUSSIA
Correspondent Witnesses Repatriation Of Tetoas and Departure
Of Observation-Disclosures Selected by Germans From
Various Camps to Avoid Injecting Other
Released CaptNes.

known 10 American tourists who have
y0yaged TO on from Sweden by the
Treiieborg route. The Aeolus Is round.
ing the long breakwater. al her fore
masthead she flies the Red Cross flag,
aud, like NIL neutral ships that travel
these precnri0us world.war Writer'S she
has her national colors--yellow cross
on blue tield--palnted on her sides
She also .Iesrs full gala flag dress
but the l!ts!e port Is tagged, so are the
great steamer ferries that transport
whole freight trains between Sweden
aud Germany, and Jagged. TOO. Is the
German trawler tleet within the break
water.
The usual agitation that accompa.
MES steamer arrivals the world over
selves those on shore, including the
two score of whIte-dressed young girls
and matrons who garrison certain long.
low. gray sheds where fower-bright'
ened tables have been set for 800, In
Guiding also the local landsturm band.
which goes into battle formation be-
side the landing stage; including also
certain German ofTicers repietc with a
sense Of duty and Importance includ-
Ing also the inevitable prince who Is
To be the orator Of the sad, happy oc-
casl0n, and who. dare say. Is think.
ing hard Of those well.chosen words
he Is about to deliver. A pathetic
i touch It. seems, that there are no,
friends or relatives TO welcome those
sorry, broken war tourists. Aud then
follow few moments which even
hardened war correspondents won't
forget rs the little Swedish hospital
steamer creeps shoreward aud mo0rs
ut the Quay.
II Is as strange ships company rs
you are likely ever to see locked. The
exchange prisoners are massed on the
fore and after decks. and line the
rail-. some eagerly leaning over toward
land and liberty, others too far gone.
sunk In apathy from which seemingly
nothing can arouse them. The over
whelning majority are Austro-Hunga-
rlun soldiers there is sprlnkling of
officers and OF Germans.
When they are within fifteen feet
OF shore the iandsturm band begins
playing the German national anthem.
Hell dir In Slegeskranz," which Is
likewise God Save the King" and My
Country, IT'S Of Thee" those on shore
Joining In discordant chorus. II Is In
teresting 10 note how the magic OF
music stirs the souls Of the sorry
prisoner crew how military discipline
slowly triumphs over physical and
mental suffering. The few Austrian
officers on the deck Of the Ae,llus are
the first to salute and stand snnpplly
ut attention. though several are
propped on crutches, together with the
Sprlnkling OF German prisoners whose
iron discipline IN the quickest TO re-
assert itself The lame, halt. and blind
the one.armcd. and one-egged, and the
puralyzed, including one hldeously mis-
Shapeu gargoyle hung between two
|
one man to the patriotic air and
struggle to strntghtcn up, and some OF
them painfully succeed in-sti fleming
rightly TO parade posture and salute
their flag In regulation fashion, while
the worst damaged, for whom this Is
physical impossibility, salute with
rigid heads, some only with their eyes.
n The lass damaged, Austrc. Hungarian
soldiers (descted By the censor) joined
their German comrades In misfortune
and were moved TO spirited enthusiasm
when the Landsturm band next played
the Austrian national anthem, which
slowly affected even the most seriously
crippled and reused them from their
dead stupor. Austrian caps, one after
The other. were dotted barred bowed
heads were thrown back again with
something OF pride these frowEy shah
by wrecks ef soldiers, (deleted by the
! censor9, being Of softer metal than the
Germans, we're many OF them moved to
tears by the tune OF their national an
them.
) They were not allowed 70 come
; ashore at once. There was still some
5 official ceremonial TO be run or. While
; women on shore tossed flowers, cigars
: aud cigarettes to them, which the
! physically able eagerly grabbed after.
= the Swedish national anthem had still
) to be played and sting as deserved
: tribute to the good neutral Offices that
{ had made possible this humane tx.
{ change " prisoners; the prince Of
4 futhuS, gray haired and gray bearded,
( aud wearing the field gray uniform Of
7 q colonel 81 rrussian Chlans, blazing
: with orders. there as the kaiser's per.
, sonal representative. and owning half
] the Island OF Ruegen. on which the prss.
, oners were about to land. had still TO
! mount an improvised rostrum powered
with Pine branches and deliver his ad-
4 dress Of welcome
a Waieonsd by q Prince.
Comrades" be said In that husky
{ bark peculiar to German officers long
= accustomed to command. '1n the name
, Of the kaiser and all Germsuy | wei.
+ come you. returning heroes, 70 haue
1 soil" The damaged heroes continued
10 stand AZ patient, respectful atten.
tiou, Your term a languishing In
e enemy Imprisonment is happily over