Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-09
Continued from Last IssueI

u
were intensely interested in the
= brief account 1 gave them of my
adventures. Word was sent to the con-
sui general and he Immediately sent for
me. When l went in he shook hands
with me, greeting me very heartily ana
offered me a chair.
He then sat down, screwed a monocle
on his eye and viewed me from top TO
toe. I could see that only good breed
ing kept him from laughing at the spec
tacle I presented. 1 could see he want
ed to laugh in the worst way.
go ahead and Taught" L said. You
can't offend me the way L feel this
blessed day." and he needed no second
invitation. Incidentally it gave me
chance to laugh at him, for l was about
as much amused as he was.
After he had laughed himself about
sick he got. up and slapped me on the
back and invited me to tell him my sto-
ry.
Lieutenant" he said when I had con-
Guided you can have anything you
want. I think your experience entities
you TO it."
We'll, Consul" 1 replied, Il would like
bath. shave, haircut and some civil
lied clothes about as badly as a man
ever needed them, 1 suppose, but before
that I would like to get cable off to
America to my mother telling her that
am safe and on my way to England"
Instructions
The consul gave the necessary instruc-
lions and had the satisfaction of know
ing before l left the office that the ca
BILE, with it's good tidings, was on it's
way to America.
Then he sent for one of the naval men
who had been interned there since the
beginning of the war and who was able
to speak Dutch and told him to take
good care of me.
After 1 had been bathed and shaved
and had a haircut 1 bought some new
clothes and had something to eat, and
1 felt like new man.
AS 1 walked through the streets of
Rotterdam breathing the air of freedom
again and realizing that there was no
longer any danger of being captured and
taken back to prison, it was wonder
full sensation.
l don't believe there will ever be
country that will appear in my eyes
quite as good as Holland did then. had
to. be somewhat careful, however, be-
cause Holland was full of German spies
and 1 knew they would be keen to learn
all they possibly could about my es-
cape and my adventures so that the au-
thorities in Belgium could mete out
punishment to everyone who was in any
respect to blame for it, As l was IN
Rotterdam only a day they didn't have
very much opportunity to learn any
thing from me.
The naval officer who accompanied me
and acted as interpreter for me intro
duced me to many other soldiers and
sailors who had escaped from Belgium
when the Germans took Antwerp, ana
as they had arrived in Holland in uni
@I,a lou Of
trality compelled their internment and
thew had been there ever since.
The Lives of Those Interned
The life of man who is interned in
a neutral country, 1 learned, is anything
but satisfactory. He gets one month
a wear to visit his home II he lives in
england that is not so bad, but if he
happens to live further away, the time
he has to spend with his folks is very
short, as the months leave does not take
into consideration the time consumed
in travelling to and from Holland.
The possibility of escape from inter-
ment is always there, but the British
authorities have an agreement with the
Dutch government to send refugees
back Immediately. In this respect,
therefore the position of a man who is
informed is worse than that of pris-
oner who, if he does succeed in making
his escape, is naturally received with
open arms in his native land. Apart
from this restraint, however, intern
ment, with all its drawbacks, is a thou
sand times, yes, million times, better
than being a prisoner of war in Ger
many.
1t seems to me that when the war is
over and the men who have been i'm
prisoncd in Germany return home, they
should be given a bigger and greater
reception than the most victorious army
that ever marched into city, for hey
will have suffered and gone through
more than the world will ever be able
to understand.
No doubt you will find in the German
prison camps one or two faint-hearted
individuals with a pronounced yellow
streak who voluntarily gave up the
struggle and gave up their liberty rath
er thar risk their lives or linbs' These
sad cases, however, are, 1 am sure, ex
trenlely few.
Rather he Fighting
Nine hundred and ninety-nine out of