The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-08-29

BUIIlNEAU, NONId UAAUYl
This was my first intimation that we
might have difficulty in getting out Of
Germany.
A day or two later the kaiser called
on me professionally and I told him Of
our plight, hoping that he would inter.
cede for MS. 1t vas the only favor Of q
personal character I had ever asked Of
him
my child is ailing, your majesty" I
said, .1nnd I feel that she needs a
change Of climate. I applied to the
kommandantur for leave for my wife
and child to 60 to Montreux, but I have
just heard that 1t has been refused I"
"Davis, / will see what I can do In
the natter" he replied reassurtngly,
and as he was leaving my Office he
turned to me and said in the presence
of his two adjutants: Regarding that
matter you spoke Of, leave 1t to me
and I win see what I can dol"
The kaisers influence would readily
solve our problem, I thought and I
was very much relieved. Two days
later. however. ! received a letter
from Count Won Moltke. one Of the kat
ser's adjutants, stating that the KAT
ser had spoken to him regarding the
Switzerland project but, under the
circumstances, It was out Of the ques-
hon. Il. however. my child's condition
were such as to make q change Of cir
mate really necessary, he added, the
kaiser suggested that q trip to the
Austrian Tyrol might perhaps be ar
ranged, a. the climate there was just
as good as that OF Switzerland, but be-
fore permission would be granted for
that trip 1t would be necessary to OBJ
tain 9 certificate from the district doc
tor stating that It was necessary.
As the food situation In Austria was
Just az bad 81 1t was in Germany, II
not worse, that idea didn't appeal to
me at all. and I went Immediately to
the kommandantur and explained the
situation TO them.
When they saw Count Won Moltkeis
letter the officer In charge threw up
his hands.
that's fnal," he declared. THAT
comes from q higher authority than
ours. It Is useless to pursue the mat
ter any further. We received a COM
munication from his majesty regard
ing your case, but the matter was left
entirely to our discretion. It was not
q command, only a request from his
majesty. A command, of course, would
have been different"
Then I applied for a pass for my
wife, child and myself to 60 to Amer
lea. They pointed out at the komman-
dantur that as my wife's application
to leave Berlin preceded mine, it was
possible she would be allowed to leave
before me. I told the officer that that
would suit me admirably, as I wanted
the pass for Mrs. Davis and the child
granted at the earliest possible mo-
ment regardless of. what action might
be, taken on my own application.
Again there followed a long period
Of anxious waiting while the German
red tape slowly unwound, but eventu-
ally, in September, VIZ received word
that Mrs. Davis and the child might
leave Berlin for Copenhagen between
October 10 and II. They left on the
tenth.
A day or two later commenced the
German offensive against Riga, on the
Baltic. Within three or four days the
Germans captured successfully the
Oesel, Runo, Obro and Moon islands
in the Gulf Of Riga and then carried
their invasion to the mainland. Their
apparent objective was Petrograd and
on October 10 the Russians announced
that the seat Of the government would
be removed from Petrograd to Mos
cow.
These successes on the Baltic failed
to overcome the depression in Germany
caused by the serious internal situa-
ton in Austria at this period. NUM-
ton factories were being wrecked by
hunger-crazed and warweary strikers
and the populace was being shot down
In great numbers In the food riots
which developed in various parts Of
Austria. Not since the war began had
the outlook been 10 discouraging for
the Germans.
Then, on October "a, just as things
were looking their blacklist, the great
German.Austro offensive against the
Italians was started. In three days the
Italians were swept out Of Austria and
the Teutons pressed forward to the
passes west Of the Isonzo river leading
to the Venetian plains. BY the end of
October the Italian armies were in full
retreat. Before this offensive was over
the Germans captured, they claimed,
no less than 100000 prisoners and sew
eral thousand big guns, besides vast
stores Of munitions and supplies.
The exultation Of the Germans over
the triumph Of their armies In Italy
knew no bounds. While 1t was at it's
height / had an interview with the kali
ser which will ever remain one OF the
most vivid in my memory.
II was about three-thirty one Sunday