Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-06-29
BY HERMAN HADLER.
(Seeond Lieutenant. Until Recently an
Officer in the German Naval Service
and who has deserted and is
now in Holland

AOU Al AcAAdh0
Brunsbuttal Barracks was commonly
known as the torture-house and it
lived up to its reputation as well as to
its name. According to the conception,
however, of my superior officers, the
barracks was an institution of example
"in order to forewarn and caution
would be weak spirits in the ranks to
the serious consequences of what would
befall them should they follow or emu
late the example set by treacherous in
stigators. / quote these words, as az.
curately as can remember them from
lecture delivered to us officers by a
superior officer, by the name Of Captain
Afan, whom the admiralty authorities
found necessary to send to US to JUS
tify the brutal Brunsbuttal torture
methods.
At this lecture there were over thir-
ty officers like myself, who, at least
many of them, were invited, or rather
permitted, to put questions to Captain
Aman, the torture justified. l modestly
claim that was the only officer who
took an aggressively opposing attitude
towards Captain Aman's questionable
military doctrine. He is an experienced
speaker and answered my questions with
scorn, sarcasm and contempt. To the ser.
ious and dignified question 1 put him.
"Herr Captain, is it not true that
such terror methods would eventually
undermine the fighting morale and in
dividual reliance of our troops2" he
replied, contemptuously. eyes, it would
to great extent, when led by men like
you." This insulting retort brought glee
to the majority of my fellow-officers
which was evident in their faces, while
few of them appeared resentful. /.
thereupon, left my seat, took few steps
toward the speaker, and in curtious
tone, informed him that it was for him
to test my soft heart. Upon this, one Of
my ellow-officers, himself a lieutenant
demanded Of the captain that he i'm
mediately apologize for the uncalled-for
insult he had offered me while a great
many other fellow-officers shouted at
me to retract and withdraw the chal-
lenge. took my seat and made no an
swer to the cheap shoutings of my fel-
low-officers while Captain Aman behind
his table kept silent and also kept his
seat.
Captain Aman refused to accept my
challenge with an improvised plea that
"duals in times Of war were against
the interests Of the fatherland. Such
an attitude was exceptional. am thirty
eight years old and the captain is "A
therefore, our ages were not in great
variance. was second lieutenant, in
hazardous active service since the war
while the captain had been constantly
on short duty. For that reason his high
er rank could not justify his refusing
my challenge for any reason.
On the following morning, before
breakfast, while taking a walk at the
parade grounds, met Captain Aman
alone, and approaching, demanded Of
him to test my "soft heart" He look
ed ME over from my head down to my
feet, smiled contemptuously and was
about to walk away from me without
even one word of answer. Thereupon l
slapped his face with the back OF my
right hand, very lightly, of course. Two
days later / received summons to ap-
pear before the ranking officer Of the
region. was reprimanded severely for
having insultd Captain Aman, and was
ordered to report to Wilhelmshaven i'm
mediately to serve q sentence OF on9
week. confinemnt. During the last
year or so our higher admiralty com
mand has been permitting ranking Of
ficials to apply disciplinary measures
to subordinates without the process OF
trials. In my case, however, degree
Of leniency was employed. 1 was not
dispatched to Wlhelmhaven in charge
Of guards, but was permitted to pro-
ceed to that place unacocmpanied.
On reaching Wilhelmshaven | Learned
that the ranking officer to whom l was
ordered to report was certain officer
with whom I had fought duel in 1913.
I had chastised him severely. And know
ing that his soul dwelt in very small
space I fully prepared myself for the
treatment that l expected would be
meted out to me by this man who had
better connections, family connections,
and still louder talk and bluster than
manly courage or brains.
On presenting my letter my old en-
envy, in a terse voice and without fur
ther comment, assigned me to room
where I should serve my week 8 dlscl-
plnary confinement. /,
At the end Of the week, fleet OF
submarines having just returned from
long service in the North sea, and their
cravvs hn;nc in great need of recupera-