St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1918-07-27
CHAPTER xvlll.

I prevailed upon the authorities d
grant me an eight-day furlough to visit
my home and | toek advantage Of thia
to cross the Dutch border. I left my
home under a pretence OF intending "a
visit relatives wearing civilian cloth.
ing. I bought q railroad ticket to Kali
denkfrchen, 9 medium-sized town near
the Dutch border. During my trip %
Kaldenkirchen I had plenty OF time 70
review all that had happened.
How different everything vas after
the first year of the war! My home
town, once a lively country settlement,
was now as calm as a graveyard. In
this town, which had a population be-
fore the war of 1000 souls, more than
40 had been killed and many others
crippled. Food was very high with lit
tie to be had.
There was no enthusiasm for the war
manifest anywhere. The people were
doWnhearted, stunned.
It vas the same In other cities. The
longing for peace was universal YET no
one talked OF peace or expressed the
desire for it.
One word spoken, which displeased
the autocratie government, merited the
severest punishment. Tint Is how IT Is
to be explained that the German peo-
pie cannot force the H~ohenzoIlerns into
peace because the government, with
assistance Of the military, smothered
every expression of peace with blood,
even at that early date.
The present Prussian government
will slaughter any German citizen to
further its W interests in the same
way that it attacked the innocent pop
ulation of Belgium without regard.
With a clean conscience and clean
handst
"Gott strafe England. Err ist strafe
| esI"
Going through the streets this was
heard right and left as a comment and
a reply.
To me, fresh from the front, this
kind Of greeting was unknown.
Presently / learned the reason Of
this modern form of salutation. The
hatred within the German nation was
not ST great toward France and Rus
STA.
The people quietly accepted the enor-
nous sacrifices which the wal demand
ed from them in course Of time.
But the government. which even
then, foresaw the unfaVorabIe course
the war was taking. conceived the idea
of setting England up as the arch
enemy which intended to destroy Ger
many entirely.
The German war machine made use
of the blockade which England drew
around Germany to such an extent,
playing upon child murder, so-called,
that the people developed an ever-in~
creasing hatred toward England.
The French language was no longer
spoken anywhere. a large part OF the
German people formerly used the
French word "adieu," as a farewell exc
preston but that vas stopped. Care
had to be taken in the use OF this word
to avoid arrest on a charge OF high
treason.
I thought about these things as I
neared my temporary destination. I
was sufficiently acquainted with the
border so that when | arrived In Kali
denkirchen I was able to reach it with
out asking any questions. The spot
which I had selected for crossing lay
in a forest. After a march OF two
hours I arrived near the border. II
vas soon dark and I decided to 'anlain
in tho woods over ufghf
The next morning at daylight | van-
tured on and without being seen by the
guards I crossed into Dutch territory.
With q sigh Of relief I arrived at the
next town, Ven in Holland.
Everywhere / was received in a
friendly manner. | observed thar the
Dutch people hated the German people
as much as | did.
After passing several months In
Holland, where tens Of thousands more
German deserters lived. | made up my
mind to move farther away thar that
from Germany for the arms of the Ger
man government are long and its spies
are everywhere in most cases con-
scienceless criminals.
Some Of my Dutch friends made me
acquainted with sailors and these con-
scented TO smuggle me to America on
their ship. When the ship departed
was placed In the coal bunkers and ar
rived after IA days in New York. safe
and well.
The first thing that struck me on ar
irving In the United States was the
wide latitude permitted German propa-
ganda-
Most of the German papers pub
lished here were body and soul for the
kaiser and tried daily to justify the
German fight for the German use
In this respect the government In
Washington certainly went too far I'M
TIL 1t was realized that no concessions
could he made to the Prusslan govern
ment and that concessions made 70
Washington were nothing but deeeItful
talk. sustained only by action when IL
served It's interests of imperialism.
The promises which the German gov-
eminent made TO Washington concern
fng the Lusftania ease. the U-boat
fare and so forth. were nothing but de.
ceit on the part Of the Berlin govern
ment.
1t was the desire to preserve peace
for the American people which Inn
PEELED President Wilson. again and
again. not to declare war and II AMER
lea fights today II has only kept filth
with its democratic principles and as
r4rtna H. mnrId In Rpfansiva var