Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-14

LOOT ON CRIPPLED
SHIPS LURE HUNS
Toll of U-Boats Silks, Satins,
Food, Cigars, Jewels
and Lives.
ANXIOUS FOR SERVICE
BY HERBERT COREY.

ZURICH. Switzerland, November IL
"Ninety-five per cent Of the officers in
the German navy have asked to be as
signed to the U-boat service. They are
tired Of the inactton OF the big feet
Their nerves arc going TO pieces at
harbor dHty."
The man who made that statement
Is. I believe, fairly well posted on the
U-boat situation Accepting his state
ment as to the officers. asked him
what the men thought about It There
have been repeated stories In the Eng
lish press, which has never been dis
tinguished for reliability OF statement.
that German seamen have shot them
selves rather than serve on the diving
boats.
They all want the U-boat service"
said my informant. Every young sea-
man in tho German navy who meas
ures up to the high mental and physi-
cal standard demanded is an applicant
for U-boat work. believe"
/. Loot Crippled Ships.
"whyr
-Ths. chance for loot" was the an
swer.
Ordinary seamen have come home
from trips on a U-boat rich men, ac-
cordfnG to the Iower-class Germans
count Of riches.
Not infrequentiy each man on a
|U-boat will bring home 5000 marks
worth of stuff" said my informant.
[tfcIes. of course. But money takes
up little space, and jewels and bales
of silk and the like. They live
like fighting cocks. too. for never a
ship goes down that its pantry Is not
searched II the U-boatAmen have their
way about 1t. I've had Injuries myself
American canned goods and French
candies and fine Bond street cigars
brought in by my friends of the under
sea service"
| There is smother feature to the u
boat work, according to my well In
formed friend. The men are made he.
other ports of refuge. The Germans
firmly believe that the war will be WOE
by the U-bcats. and the admiralty has
silowered favors on the men of the
service. partly because 1t is dffhcult
and dangerous service, and partly tf
maintain this popular habit OF mind
Orders of the first class are conferred
on the men. Even ordinary seamer
may be seen wearing orders that arr
Bands Play, Girls Sing.
when the boats leave port the mer
group on the deck" said my friend
"and wave handkerchfefs as the band
play in shore and the girls sing and tht
men cheer. When they come back and
leave ths boats they are decked witt
flowers
There is another. very practical rea
son why this service IL preferred. TIL,
men are paid i've times as much a.
| their rating would give them in tn
I other service, and during their thre
may go whore they will. dressed il
| fne clothes, and with money and loo
! in their pockets. They need not ewes
report at barracks, but il the taking
| of the last cruise have run to it, the.
may drink only champagne and live a
! the best hotels. They are the onl,
| modern prototypes of Capt Kiddi
merry men. =
The officers, however, are held strictly
to account for torpedoes expended
Torpedoes cost money--Iots of money
and the German admiralty wants to b,
sure OF a return in lives and tons 70,
each one. It may be that some officerl
were suspected of juggling the re
( turns. although the U-boatmen, say not
Reward Of Frightfulness.
There was doubt as to one mans
report" they admit. carefully. INC
one saw the ship sink that he reported
He said 1t went down SO rapidly that
before he could call his watch officer
into the turret with him it was be-
meath the surface.
For a. long time this man was not
decorated and was kept on shore