The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-28
ONE OF THE WARS TRAGEDIES.
Story Of the Germ7n Father Who Lost
Five Soma in Battle.


Five Soma in Battle.
Herbert Bayard Swope in the New
York World The sharpest reaction
1 brought away from my two trips to
Germany as war reporter was not
what saw during Hindenburg's sweep
into Russia after the Masurian lakes
battle; not the rapid thrust of the first
German offensive against Verdun; not
the terribly stubborn advance of the
allies at the Somme, nor any of the
other actual battle scenes l witnessed
soaring the memory, as they did. The
thing that sticks with me is an Incl
dent typical of many that have oc-
Cured in Britain, France and Ger
many, where hardly house is left I'M
marked by mourning. This is it:
| At the outbreak Of the war re-
tired Col. Won Koenig, of the German
army, had three sons as officers in the
| field and two younger ones at home
with HON and his old wife.
In the first advance through Bel
GUM two sons were killed and a
third died on the Russian front. When
the Field Of Honor" had claimed the
three, the colonels house, which had
supplied sons to the coIors since be-
fore Frederick the Great, was without
a scion under arms. The fourth son,
though only 49,. insisted that he must
go "out there" for the honor of his
line, and he went-to met his death
two weeks later as an "officer-aspir-
ant
OF five there was now left only
| one. that last born, aged IT. He de-
manded the right. that had not been
withheld from his brothers and the
old people could not deny him.
He was ordered to the Operations
around verdun. For three weeks the
colonel and his wife stood the strain
until even their Spartan spirit crack
ed The old man, obtaining special
| permission visited the kaiser, then at
great general headquarters In the
east. He told his story to the emper.
or and begged that Che last Of his
sons be saved by shifting him from
The front to some bureau work within
the lines. The kaiser, much moved,
at once directed that the boy be so
detailed. and with the order given
personally into his hands, the old
man set out joyfully on his trip to the
division to which his son was attach
ed, first seeking to thank the kaiser.
NO" said Wilhelm, ut is I and the
country who must thank you for your
devotion and the fearful sacrifice you
! have made. You have done nobly."
The colonel sped to the headquar-
tiers Of his sons division and here,
with a hand trembling with eagerness
to snatch his boy from death, pre-
scented the imperial order to the gen.
Ieral commanding. That officer blink
ed at the paper amoment and then
said slowly: "Your son has received
lother orders"
What can you menu" the old man
lasked. 'perplexed. 1.-THE kaiser's or
ders take precedence over all Others
"All but one" the commander re
lplied. land that one no man may ig
nore-the report has just reached me
that your son was killed just one
: hour ago."
It was Gen. Won Winnigen command
ling a corps in the army of Grown
Prince Rupprecht, Of Bavaria, wh'
was the commander. / had the story
from him as we stood on an ooserva
. ton platform watching the Britfe'
shell Thiepval last September Their
were tears in his eyes as he adde'
: that the old mother had become IN
sane and the colonel was but littl
better-seven victims in one of tn
ixvorpa little trapedi0s