The daily Alaskan., 1916-04-28
GERMAN AIR MAN
 DESCRIBES RAID
XIII Women and Children NIlth-
 out Intention, H8 Says,
WEARS THE IRON CROSS.

Commander of Wrecked Zeppelin L-15
 Says Raids Are Meant to Destroy Armed Positions, Warships and Fao-
 tories and the Slaughter of Inno-
 cents Is lneidentaI-caIIs lt War.
 q do not think you would find an of- feer of the German navy or army who would willingly participate in the kill ing of women and children.o
 So said Lieutenant Commander Brett haupt, commander of the Zeppelin L-15, which was hit by shell fire in recent raid on English towns and later sank in the Thames estuary, when asked to explain the psychology of German air raids on London.
 q am very well satisfied with my treatment here," he continued, "but naturally feel the loss of my freedom. As to air raids, we have a much more important object in view than the kill ing of women and children-namely, the destroying of the enemy's armed positions, warships and factories. Women and children become the vic tins of our operations, but not because we kill them Intentionally. It Is war"
 Wears the Iron cross.
 The commander refused to tell where the airship came from or to answer any questions regarding the length and duration of his raid or whether he par tieipated in previous raids. But the iron cross with which he was deco rated bore the date of the air raid of October, 1915, and he informed the in- terviewer that he has been in the Zep- pelin service since hostilides began.
 Asked whether he knew the location of the airship during raids in the dark ness and whether he could distinguish buildings and other objects at night, he asserted that he could tell almost ex- actly, but could not say whether the bombs fell where they were intended to fall except in some instances.
 Commander Breithaupt, who was a regular naval officer before the war, served In Australasian waters and also in South America. He said he was ac- quainted with numbers of British na- val men and did not feel any hatred for them, but was doing his duty in fight ing the enemies of Germany.
 Prepared to Take Chances.
 Asked if he participated gladly in air raids, he replied:
 "Yes. l do my duty as an officer gladly. As to the risks in afr fighting, we know the chances we run and are prepared to take them. Our air craft was hit three times by shrapnel, and we came down very rapidly into the water, where we found ourselves al- most by surprise"
 With respect to the altitude at which the ralding Zeppelins flew, he admit ted that the height was very great, but eVaded nearer particulars, merely smil- ing when 5000 feet was mentioned and saying:
 "We should not reach England If We flew only at that height"
 Lieutenant Kuehne, second in com mand, was more reticent, but said that 1t was his first raid on England. 'I had hoped to come again" he added.
 Air Craft Was 5000 Feet High.
 The airship was flying at about 5000 feet over the Thames estuary when suddenly, according to the crew, the craft dashed down to the surface of the water. None would admit that bombs had been dropped during the raid, probably from the unfounded fear that any. such admission would entail punishment.
 The. L-15 was literally surrounded by British craft when brought down in the Thames estuary and did not have much lime to escape, according to a young lieutenant of one of the British aeroplanes.
 ''Flrst we sighted two ZeppelIns," he says. "They- were followed closely by three others, all living at,sabout 10000 feet toward the southeast coast We signaled the land batteries ana got out of the zone of fire ourselves.
 Three, zeppelina Suffered.
 'Three of the Zeppelins received terrible punishment. We saw one dis tinctly drop its tail and shoot upward. One of the baIloonettes had caught fire. and the commander, turning off his light, sent the airship upward un- til 1t disappeared from view, Then Brandon flew over one of the zeppe- lins and dropped several bombs, which did not appear to take effect; but, making a swift dive closer, he drop ped three more bombs and believes he broke the Zeppelin's back, as the craft swiftly dropped to the water.
 q cannot be sure whether the air ship fell or the commander was able to let her down. We immediately sig naled the destroyers and patrols and got within 200 yards of the derelict, ready to finish her with bombs if nee essary. But she surrendered as our ships came up"