The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-07-20
AUGUST JOSEPH (
BACK TO BALSAM
WAS NOT WANTED BY GOVERN
MENT OFFICIALS
JUST CAME TO INVESTIGATE
Says He Went to California on
Business and Left Address
at Amasa Postoffice

Four weeks ago The Diamond Drill
published an article telling OF the
visit Of two government secret SER
vice men TO Balsam, going there for
the purpose OF getting August JOS
eph, who was wanted, but for what
reason could not be learned at the
time
Joseph returned TO Balsam last
week from California where he went
on business mission and in a letter
TO The Diamond Drill makes all the
facts In the case clear by telling
what the officials wanted him for. The
letter follows:
Balsam, July 18th, 1918.
Editor Diamond Drill:
| have Just learned that on June %
your paper published an article which
was very disagreeable to me mot to
use stronger expression) as, nearly
all 1t contains Is absolutely untrue.
| The truth about this simple and lucid
| anair Is as tolloWs.
Some time ago, / applied with in
sistence, to the government, TO OBJ
tain passport for the following pur-
poses.
First. / desired to find and to con
sole over there three Belgium fam
lilies. very closely related to me, and
who had to fee to France, after their
homes had been burned down and all
they possessed 1.-The fruit OF a life
time--hard work, wantonly destroyed
| by the Germans And now they are
wanderers somewhere" in France
suffering materially and morally, II
not dead. from sorrow, like so many
other unfortunate Belgians l have
known there, formerly prosperous,
now ruined or dead
Second know that in France
great number OF public schools
have closed because the teachers left
for the front to fight the hateful Ger
man invaders. Many children are
thus deprived OF instruction. am
graduated school teacher and !
wanted TO offer my services to the
French government as teacher try
ing in this way TO do something use
| full for our ally. But, II necessary.
would make ammunitions over there.
or do am kind of hard work in order
to help beat the kaiser. the German
monster, who Is the cause of this
war, that brought all this woe upon
| humanity.
There is, in the whole of the Unitet
States. not man hating any more the
German ruler than do. because, while
+; the people OF our good country here
know only something about the Ger
man atrocities in Belgium, from read
ing the papers, / know them all, and
| have been an eyewitness OF all that
took place there | was born In Bel
GUM, but am an AMERICAN, natur-
allied, since 25 years. l was in Bel
gium when the Germans. like gang
OF bandits. overran that peaceful
country, and committed their infam-
Gus crimes on harmless and helpless
citizens.
Everybody who has ever made APP
plication for a passport To 80 abroad
knows how difficult II Is to get IL, and
before granting one. the government
always makes an investigation in or
der TO ascertain IL II is imperative for
the applicant. that he leave.
This was done in my case; IT would
be done with you and anybody else
applying for passport.
That Is the reason two government
officials went to Amasa. where have
my mail box. and inquired there as
to where ! was living. After Mr.
Baert OF BaIsam had explained to
them where Frank Meuls. my broth
er-in-law's farm was and where
1 live. they came very politely TO have
a talk with me.
Unfortunately, / was not al homel
having gone TO California, In order to
see II could buy some real estate
there and make my home there In
milder climate. | have spent many
years In hot tropical country, hold
ing there an important official posi-