The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-11
Deutschland Commander Re-
Iates Story of His Life.
49 and SQUARE ALL OVER
Pioneer "Sub" Captain Is an
Interesting "Dutchman."
Enthusiastic Reception Here
Brought Him Great Joy.

Konig-Paul Konig. He is 40 years
old. For more than thirty of those
years he has sailed the seven seas.
Originally he came out of Saxony
from Rohra, near beautiful Thuer-
ingerwald, famed in German song and
story In figure he is short and
square. In fact, he. gives you an i'm
preston of being square" all over,
inside and out. His wisened coun-
tenance is covered with wrinkles. He
is the man who brought u little gray
boat over the sea and in SO doing
wrote himself down among the i'm
mortals of the great war.
Today he told the story of the voy-
age of the Deutschland, told it in sim
pie words and in a wondering sort OF
way. For it was apparent that this
quiet little man of the seas was struck
to amazement at the suggestion that
his quiet little cruise" (the words are
his OWN could have caused surprise
TO Burgeon upon the face of the
world
The reception given the Deutschland
by Americans came to Captain KONG
and his crew as a complete surprise.
Eager as they had been to reach
America, great as was the enthusiasm
when Cape Henry was sighted-there
was not a man on board who did, not
feel anxiety over the reception they
might be given when they got here.
And the captain was the most anxious
of all. He admits it with the perfect
frankness which is one of his charac-
teristics.
Prepared for Worst.
I'VE were not at all sure that when
we got here the Americans might not
say, What do these damned Germans
want here. anyway
The way we have been received is
not only relief it is a source of great
JOY. The men may seem phlegmatic.
That is simply because they are not
sure of themselves. They are-so to
speak-fish out of water and they feel
they must be careful That is, you
should see them among themselves.
Ihelr JOY, their enthusiasm is ire
mendous.
When the ships began footing for
us as we passed up the bay and we
knew we were really being made well
come here, the happiness of the men
was greater than you can realize And
mine, too. We came on an errand of
peace We came to re-establish these
bonds of commerce and friendship
that had united Germany and the
United States before the war broke
out. We hoped we should be received
In the same spirit. And the way we
have been entertained since our arrival
IN Baltimore, the kilograms we have
received, the whole American attitude
p1ness as our actual arrival
Could Have Returned.
If the reception had been different
declared Captain KONG, he was quite
prepared to swing his boat around and
take her back to Germany. He could
have done it, he said, without taking
on any supplies, whether of food
water, oil or anything else. The ma
chinery would not have needed over
hauling.
- O II
no trouble at ALL" he said. Our ac-
ton radius is 1900. We have more
than enough oil on board for return
trip. And as for water, we shall
throw overheard ten tons of fresh
water, which is still in our tanks The
food question is just as simple. On
board we live American style-that is
to say, on timed things. Even our
bread is timed. In the can it is good
for six months at least. OF course it
must be eaten as soon as the can is
opened
Asked whether it was "war bread"
that he and his men were eating, he
objected to the term, but admitted
that some of the bread they had on
board was black and that some was
gray and that none was white. He
proved that he was patriotic by as
sorting that he likes the black and
gray very much. Then he proved he
is Humankind humane-hy ordering
a goodly supply of white bread to be
sent down to the boat at once, not molly
for the officers, but for the whole
crew.
They would appreciate it much
more" he was told, 'if you would let
them get their white bread themselves
in the city-let them leave the boat
and forget it for while"
Nice Enough on Board.
ooh, no." he replied. 1T is nice
enough on board. The quarters are
roomy; the men have berths just as
on any other vessel. And, besides,
sleeping on board has one great adj
vantage over sleeping ashore"
What is that?"
we are not bothered by mosqui-
toes. The smell of the oil keeps
them all away"
There was a great celebration on
the Deutschland when she sighted
land and met her devoted friend, the
Timmins, off Cape Henry. 1t is not
known to what extent the crew cele-
brated. Maybe it was only to the
extent of turning on the photograph
in the "Maunschafts Raum" and sing
ing Dee Wacht Am Rhein'' and
Deutschland Uber Allies in tune with
the invisible orchestra Maybe it was
beer The first officer said they had
no alcohol on board. But that is
long way from proving that there
never had been any.
At any rate, a reporter did wiring
from Captain Konig the reluctant
admission that among the officers
there was champagne-at least one
bottle And when assured that the
great American public would think no
worse of him on that account, he went
so far as to implicate Captain HinscFl.
you see, we had no ice on board.
And champagne without ice-well. it's
CO 4n1I In