Omaha daily bee., 1918-06-25

Inc following story OF lite IN munitlon
factory at Cassel is furnished to me by a
prisoner of war. ! give il in his own words
Henscheps steel factory before the war
was a steel-producing (Siemens' process and
crucible furnace) and tool and machinery
works Since the outbreak of war it has
naturally turned its whole resources to the
production of munitions. Approximately
10000 people were employed in this factory
IN the latter part of 1915, amongst these be-
ing 1000 prisoners of war, who had been
sent there not knowing until they arrived
the. nature of the work they were to perform.
The majority of the prisoners of war imme-
diately they realize they are at a nunition
factory refuse to work, but either by force,
persuasion of guile they subsequently re-
mained there &C. fsse fse
This factory is situated much like an Eng
ltsh steel or machine works 1t has different
powerhouses, steam plant, gas-produeng
plant. ttters' and turner's shops, steam-ham-
mer forces, smiths forges. sheet mills, wire
mills, an import and export department, and
its own rolling stock.
The method-or different methods-of
finally compelling prisoner of war to
work in one of these factories isprather pc
cular. On arrival at the works prisoners
are given very good meal, with few bot
ties OF beer and things to smoke, They are
then interviewed by the hrnfs interpreter
a very, very clever linguist. and it is this gen
tleman's duty to impress upon prisoners Of
war that it is not a munitions factory. No
they only make bicycles, pen-nibs, pocket
knives, razors, etc. The field and siege
guns, machine guns and thousands of shells
that you see stacked in every spare foot OF
the yard-well, they paint those 81 =
OF course, whether you are British,
French, Russian or Belgian, and though you
were employed in your pre-war days as
barber or bacon-curer, you realize that this
fellow is pulling your leg. Because surely
lyou think to yourselD it does not require
furnaces, boilers, electric cranes and turning
lathes to paint guns and shells, or to pro-
duce pen-nibs; and besides, you cannot see
any paint at all.
Well you fatty refuse TO start work, and
our aforementioned lingust, who is quite
gentleman leaves you with your sentres
Tor time. He re-appears shortly accom-
panied by German officer of high rank
who, he informs you, is in charge of the
works and also OF prisoners of war, and that
he is invested with supreme power over
every employe He can, if he wishes, SEN
tence you to death and to various other
things, Well, you again refuse to work, and
immediately you are surrounded by about
20 sentries, who payfully tickle you under
the ear with the butt of their rifles or the
end of bayonet, and you regain conscious
ness to find yourself in an underground cell,
quite close to the exhaust pipes of various
machines, and you soon realize you are
neither in Kew Gardens nor the Crystal
Palace.
You stick this for what seems to you
lifetime Qt is usually three, four or five
days); then suddenly your smooth-tongued
interpreter pops up like the devil out of hell
and asks, will you work now2" Should
you answer in the negative the devil disap-
pears and you are left to your own reflec-
tions TOR another three to five days Should
you tell him you are thirsty and would like
drink OF water, or hungry, having had
nothing to eat for from three to five days,
he informs you that if you will consent to !
work you will have anything in reason that
you desire. Well, You are beat, and realize
that It is better to await an opportunity of |
enabling you to get back to your lager,
which, in the circumstances seems heaven
compared with the shop where they paint
guns and shells and make pen-nbs. So you |
accompany the slave driver on tour of the
works. a.
First he takes you to the employees dining
hall, and as you have not had food, water,
light or recreation for from three to five
days, you do justice to the really good food
given to you. Then when you are given
few bottles of lager beer and cigar you be-
gin to regard this devil opposite you not as
a devil, but as your guardian angel Then
over the drinks he unfods to you wonder
ful tale, / will give you the conversation