Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-02-17
HOW GENERAL
SARRAIL drove
THE DIPLOMATS
FROM SALONICA
By William G. Shepherd.
Omitted Press Staff Correspondent

SALONICA, Greece, Dec. 80 (By
Mail)-At last Salonica is spy proof
To make it so has been tough and a
long job. General Sarrail settled it
all today in one grand cleanup that
was full of exciting Incidents
Ever since the allies came to Sa-
lonica spies have been here. The Ger
| man, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian
| and Ottoman consulates have been
open, as usual; the Salonica residents,
| represented by these consulates, have
gone about their business; and to see
German officers, clad in civilian clothes
DINING at table next to British or
French officers has been no uncom-
mon sight.
Many German and Austrian strang-
ers also resided in the hotels. The
allies had no control over their coming
or going. This situation was not so
dangerous to the ally forces so long
as they were fighting in Serbia, but
when troops fell back into Greece and
Salonica became headquarters for the
field forces it was necessary at once
to remove from Salonica all enemy
citizens and consular representatives.
Salonica, as military precaution, had
to be made an all ally city. How. to
do it was the question. The consuls
would not go; their government would
not recall them; and so long as they
remained their nationals would not
depart.
The beginning Of the end came this
morning when a flock of three Ger
man aeroplanes scared over Salonica
and dropped forty bombs on the sur
rounding camps. At noon the visit
was repeated. The warships in the
harbor fired shrapnel but missed the
filters. A~lonely Bulgarian shepherd,
three miles ont Of town on hillside
with his flock of sheep, was hit by
German shell and he and five of his
sheep were killed
While the second lot of German
aeroplanes was in the air, Gen Sarrail
decided to get all enemy citizens out
of the town as quickly as possible. It
required eight automobiles. Two cars
| each went to the German, Austrian,
| p,,1c.or;,, opJ T,,rI,;cb oo,e,,1o+o, o,J
detachments of soldiers were placed
at all entrances. A French officer who
entered the German consulate was met
| by Consul General Walters with the
remark: "You have no right to invade
German premises on Greek SOIL"
'The Germans invaded Greek soil
| with their aeroplanes this morning,
monsieur" said the Frenchman. The
soldiers and Walters was taken to
French headquarters with all his staff
At the Bulgarian consulate the consul
| general was not in. When he arrived
half an hour after the occupation, he
was stopped by sentry.
"But I am the Bulgarian consul
general" he said, "and this is my con-
sulate."
"Ah in that case will take in your
card" Within few moments the Bull
garian consul general received word
from sentry that he would be welcom
ed within his own consulate. Enter
ing, he found a French officer sitting
| at his desk
"What does monsieur desire?" ask
| ed the Ffenchman.
81 am the Bulgarian consul general
replied theofficial.
''That is very unfortunate" said the
| officer, "for l am under orders to place
| the Bulgarian consul general under
arrest" The Bulgarian consul's pro-
| test was formal. He rode to the
French headquarters in an automobile.
The Salonian crowds followed the
operations of the military men with
| the greatest interest. There was
something of rush of the crowd to-
| ward the Austrian consulate, for word
| had gone among the Salonica folk
| that the Austrians might put up a
| fight. A few French soldiers with
| rifles were about the place but the
crowd saw an officer go into the consul
late and shortly return with the con-
sui general of Austro-Hungary who
| climbed into an automobile and sped
to French headquarters.
Word got around after this that the
consul general of Turkey had harem
| and that the French and British were
going to raid it: This rumor perhaps
accounted for the fact that the largest