Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-07-06
The DeSerter 6:s$s':d Hh r.
DISEASE! HUNS BlIGHTIEST ENEMY

perhaps l 800 but the pietures they show
in il would shame the most disSo,ate
men of my metropolis. Further north
/ there is an establishment at which sew.
eral hundred women are maintained at
military expense. l visited the island
for il is famous a: its southern handle
= as a bathing beach. When the officer
in charge of the beach informed NE Of
! the locations OF the pest-house, the mad
house, the questionable cinama-house
and the brothel-house, an inesltabl
thought cam TO ME that perhaps our
thought came to me that perhaps our
group these institutions. The four of
them were closely linked together. Tive
of these institutions, those in the north,
scattered considerable portion of til,
disease germs over the larger island
while the the other two institutions on
Dune-the pest-houSe, and mad-house,
were the final disposers Of the victims
for no person ever returned from the
last two. 4
My visit to Dune island depressed me
bNNuhu uNSNiApNANAs NuANh anu ouAn
den change came to me. Nearly four
years We had ben fighting human enc
mics beyond the seas and beyond lands
and now 1 saw a mightier enemy that
was destroying us silently, relentlessly
and torourously and yet no one raiseS
his hand for the goodo + the father
land. 1 decided to raise my voice
against that invisible enemy. But
what could dog One comment by me
while in the service would have meant
my immediate execution. Had l not
seen many others go before me9
l decided l would desert, and desert
at the first favorable opportunity. That
night | laid my plans thoroughly. N.Y.
plan of desert1on was very simple. I
would take my crew Tor a trial submar.
inc surface cruise and head straight II
the Dutch coast, beach vessel and make
shore. l knew that every member Of
the crew would be happy to follow my
example.
On the following day such an oppor-
tunity came within my grasp.
A flotilla of eight under-sea boats
Were ordered for a 50-mile cruise to the
west. Our naval patrol west of Heligo-
lard had reported that during the last
two or three days English mine-sweepers
had been assuming a bolder attitude
and . in some instances vessels whose
dlsplacements our patrols could no.
make out had come within thirty mile,
of Heligoland.
Unfortunately-fo time az least
my vessel was ordered to cruise due
north so miles and then after a clean
circle to report at Spieherooc. The
schedule was for us then to 60 to Hinsen
on the mainland.
| made surface cruise of only two
hours when l received wireless from
the next vessel to my left, whose posi-.
tion was about 20 miles north west tt
me, informing me that he had hit sub
merged mine. turned and made for the
locality at the highest speed l could
command, but on arriving at the plaes
found only streaks of oil. / was con
vinced that the vessel was sunk. | de-
cided to cruise on the surface the rest
of the journey and keep shary lookou:
AVl hiihOo uhdt Hdu ltI themselves I00S1
from their anchorages But was very
anxious to execute my plan of desertio,
as soon as possible. SO / submerged,
turned back in the direction of Heligo
land and taking a straight course west
of Heligoland l cruised straight south
until reached withinn five miles Of
Wangcrooc, and then turning due west
reached Spiekerooc. There after having
made my report started, ostensibly
for Wiihelmshaven, but instead | turn
ed straight west and made for --
on the Dutch coast.
Besides my subordinates, two brother
Officers and ~three civilian inhabitants
of Heligoland, there were 80 of the
crew who were happy to join me in de.
aerting our vessel, Our vessel was dam
aged beyond repair 80 now it LAYS some
where along the Dutch coast. Since
raising my voice against our higher
commands barbarian l have received
many letters from my countrymen in
Holland who unload themselves Of the
most profound abuse they can put inta
writing. My answer to these people is:
" II you do not like our deserting the
fatherland go and serve it yourself, it ia
easy to become patriots from safe dis
tance.