The sun., 1916-01-09
Visit to Concentration Camp Finds
Them in Good Humor..-All Want
to Work on Farms

sntee their food. lodging and pay
At c.. just mentioned. the Mayor
applied to a chateau proprietor, .
charitable and kindly gentleman. and
trusted by all.
my dear Mayor" he replied, 1T 4,
not easy. Evidently 8 cents per d,y
per man Is nothing. and the obligation
to feed and lodge them with thai,
guards ought not to bring the expense
above 30 cents per day man. hu,
the difficulty Is the feeling of our
people,"
"wili they chase my Germans out
with pitchforks?" asked the Mayor
mo-" he answered. simply. II
makes them feel bad to see them
They shrink from them. as If they i'm.
agined them unclean or accursed
They get troubled and embarrassed
even to talk about II. as II ASHAMED
to have them around the place. | had
planned to divide them. four 10y four.
among small vegetao ole growers Bu,
who will feed them? Big Louis prom.
ised, but his wife made scene"
The Mayor told him that over Or.
the Germans to prepare their own
meals. furnishing them the raw ma.
terials. They appoint a cook. as In a
campaign. and cook and helpers draw
extra pay. Also each group OF Ave
can have a German sub-offcer to boss
II. Tell your people to reflect, these
men are excellent workers and very
anxious to please
so they tried II.
It works. Strangely. II works-al,
over France IL works. And could
draw a picture Of table set for
twenty on kind OF porch behind a
wagon house shaded by climbing
greenery In a sunny valley. With the
vases Of flowers (placed by the Ger.
mans themselves) and Krea, carates
Of red wine 1t looked Ike picnic
or n peasant wedding luncheon And
the Germans. far from prison and 81.
most forgetting war the swee, con.
tact Of the kindly earth. say. as they
sit digesdng. Die franzocsischen
Bauern sind nette Leute!' ,rrsnch
farmers are good peopleD
Yes. but the French farmers-wha.
do they say?
The women simply keep out Of sight
Of them. To mention the subject IL
bad manners.
The men--they are country stay at
| homes OF q certain age. fathers OF sol.
diers--permit their curiosity TO hang
about and watch the Germans in The
ruminating silence which is peculiar TO
French peasants.
|
| Have they enough to eat?" they ask
the territorial. They are not sick?
They need nothing? Good! Good"
Then the Illuminating gaze agaiu
| And silence.
The French territoritls. on the con.
trary. guy them and listen good
naturedly TO their talk
The Spassmacher Is of the party
| He knows the names OF many nobe
German soldiers up In the orphanags
, above the town Of P.
| "All Of them have the Iron Cross .,
the First Class" he says. "y-t there
are three categories why they got r.
You must ask him how's that?
The high born Captain Baron von
"" he says. lis of the Lohcnrr.n
category. Ach, you know the gong N
Lohengr!n: Me sollst du mich betra-
gen. tNever ask me why:D"
Laughter. Hoch' hoch, Good Ger.
man joke. Explain It to the territorial
The we'll born Inspector Baron Won
Y 10 of the Lorelei category II
you ask why he received the Iron
Cross OF the First Class
Laughter. Hoch hoch, WnAor
explanation. everybody knows the hrs,
line Of the Lorelei: Ich weiss r.ch'
WAS soil es bedeuten Il know not VIA,
It signifes).
And the little Lieut. L. with h;s
arm in sling asks some one
"Oh. he's Ehrlich"
Silence Brain work. Llgh' dsars
"Ehrlich! Ehrlich! Hoch! hoch,
tEhrl!ch in German Is nor only q
family name but also means honor.
able. worthy OF respect.D Expla.n q
20 the territorial. II Is a very good
German Joke. Tho little Lieutenant .
Ehrlich!"
The old French peasant watches ~.
group with mournful curiosity. H.
meditates.
why are these strange men dp.nC
the farm work? Because my s-n g
away fight,ng Why is my son away
hght!ng' Because these men Nsme
burning. killing"
The Spassmacher lifts his glass NJ.
litely.
"Pros't'" he calls 10 tho o,d nan
TIA sante. French farmers are good
people Rauchen n'cht vc-ho.,,'"
The old man steps back as Z , Vow
lad been aimed n: his face
Smoking permitted WN, q Na d
I sSsey ba