Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-06-13
MORALE OF
THE GERMANS.

|
be taken with allowance, some stories
which are going the round Of the press
bear evidence of truth. A dispatch
from Paris says the number of de-
serters from the German armies
fighting around Verdon is assuming
large proportions. Almost every night
some of them make their way into the
French trenches.
Three German infantrymen were
thus taken prisoners by the French
near listening post in front OF the
trenches, to which the trio had crawl
ed in the darkness. The first, whole
sale dealer in leather from Leipzig,
was forty years old, and had been
wounded while fighting on the Russian
front. He declared himself delighted
at having succeeded in making his
escape, as the Smelling of the French
artillery was driving him nearly In
sane. He said that when he left home
he was confident of Germany's final
and decisive victory, but now he
realized she was doomed to disaster.
"My own business" he said, "is
ruined. did most of my business
abroad, and some of my best custom
ers lived in Paris. Now all Europe
hates us, and it would be foolish to
| hope that we shall be able to win
back our old markets. Who will care
to do business with US after the war?
The best thing we could do would be
to sue for peace Immediately on the
best terms obtainable, but our mill
tary leaders will never permit that.
We must 90 ON to the bitter end.
The second prisoner was young
student of the 1916 class. His father
is a teacher in small town in AL
SAGE. He told how he had happened
to become enrolled in a regiment con-
sisting of men twice his age.
when it was decided to attack Yer
dun" he said, "The German military
authorities called for volunteers. In
order to help along recruiting, they
depicted to the young people how they
; would cover themselves with immortal
glory at Verdun and how the trump
al entry into the fortress and the re-
sultng fall of Paris would remain an
event which would never be forgot
ten by those to take part in it. Many
of us were tempted by offers of some
office at home when the war was over
as reward for coming forward when
lit was necessary for Germany to
strike decisive blow. l was one of
these.
, ave were also told that we would
never be called upon to do any hand
to-hand fighting, as the German artil-
lery would wipe out all resistance.
Now all my comrades have fallen, and
| | could no longer stand the constant
sight of the dreadful carnage. The
memory of what 1 have seen on the
battle field haunted me every night,
and I felt it was driving me mad. |
simply had to get out of it."
| The third prisoner was miner and
| the father of seven children. He de-
clared that he had been driven to
desert through brutal treatment and
lack of sufficient food.
"'It was becoming quite unbearabie'
he declared. ave were being treated
worse than dogs, but the thing which
made me make up my mind to desert
was the letters l received from my
wife at home.
"She told men that my children
were starving. AS a prisoner, hope
to be able to help them. | know you
fallow your prisoners of war to work
and pay them well. Every penny
make is to be sent home to my wife
and children in Germany. May those
who are responsible for this war be
cursed forever.