The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-08

W O. NAcCLHVEELN
 belief by the High Command. We are kept in ignorance of what is hap pening at home. Letters have been stopped by the Censor, and even when the stoppage is not enforced all ref erence to bad times are struck out.
 Punishment for Mutineers
 ''The result is that in che army we have had to establish a post of our own, and thus we obtain news of how our people are faring. What we hear is terrible.
 We are told from time to time of riots, of hungry women and children eongregating in the streets and be- ing attacked savagely by military and police, who are afraid to refuse to carry out work of this kind because they know that If they refused they would be sent off to the Western front That is the punishment for nearly every serious offence today.
 "In cases of treason, such as in connection with the revolts in the army and navy, they don't carry out the death sentence themselves. They saw it would be a waste of German ammunition, which is already scarce enough. They send the prisoners on to the Western front, where they are put into the front-line. trenches.
 Chained to Machine Guns
 Sometimes they are chained to ma chine guns, but as a rule there is no need to take pains of that sort. Death finds you soon enough where the British guns are.
 "In the army in Flanders the men are continually refusing to fight on. The night I was captured we were out with a patrol. We found that we could not carry out the task given us. It was far too risky because of the way the British were watching, so if we went back with the story of fail ure we would be put on to some more dangerous work that would be as good as a death sentence.
 We talked 1t over and decided that we would try to reach the near est British post to surrender. The of f1cer in the party was against it at first, but when he saw we were Tn earnest he fell in with us, and we gave ourselves up to the British. l daresay we will be punished if ever the German authorities get to know, but I'm not going back to Germany. Suicide Rather Than Return to Line Men are hurried back from hos pitals before they are fit for duty and they break down as soon as they | get back. I had case of the kind the other day.
 "A battalion made up of men, who had been brought back from hospi- tai, was sent into the first-line trenches. They had not been in an
 hour before, they came out again Some of them crying like women or babies, and they had not the heart tc fight. The doctors said they ought never to have been discharged from the hospital.
 Many of our men commit suicide rather than return to the front. "Of my own company know eight who have taken this way of escaping | from the horrors of war within tho
 last two months. In many cases they | just put a finger or a hand out o.
 safety in hope of getting a wount
 that will help them to get away tt
 hospital. The result of this is tha
 our command do not now permit th' hospital staff to take away men tha
 have lost a finger or other wounds
 that don't make them unfit to serve
 All such cases are treated behind tn,
 lines, and you can see plenty of mel without finger or thumb. I count } ed five close to me the day befor I came out of 1t. The men wh want to make certain of being sen away manage to lose an arm or leg
 Men With One Eye in Firing Lin ''The price that men will pay fo immunity from service is going UT , First 1t was a finger, then 8 hand an arm next, now, where the com
 manding officer is very strict or yer cruel, which is the same thing, me will gladly give an eye or a leg fo the chance of being invalided out C 1 the army.
 . You can't always be certain ( that, however, for have seen me Q with one eye employed in the fight q ing force. I suppose it will be nec :. essary to lose both eyes very 500
 to make certain of being release from service"
 IL Now that Is the whole story. IT common ordinary Fritzies are gene ally human beings like you and
 They are good and some of them . found very good, but when they b. . come officers t1lsy seem to turn HUI u instantly.
 l' Now just to prove that I will te n you another experience of mine. am again getting ahead of my stor A but never mind, this is a good on and I must tell it. The trouble wi o the Fritz is that he is too obedie 'e to his officer.
 I, Listen to This One " Just previous to one of our big a ,e tacks our lot went up to the fro II line trenches. It was to be fig le for pill-boxes, and from the natu " of the ground we knew it would l. a stiff struggle. It's a battle in
 self to get through the mud, so thin le weren't exactly rosy-looking. B. All in the Game at But it was all in the game. and '