The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-10-18
CHAPTER xVlll-ContInued.

p
beckoned to the chauffeur to 60
with me up to the Office, as I had no
money with which to pay him, and
when he got to the consulate
told them that II they would pay the
taxi fare I would tell them who l
was and how happened to be there.
They knew at once that was an
escaped prisoner and they readily
paid the chauffeur and invited me to
give some account Of myself.
They treated me most cordially and
were intensely interested in the brief
account / gave them Of my adven-
lures. Word was sent to the consul
general and he Immediately sent for
me. When went In he shoOk hands
with me, greeting me very heartily
and Offering me Z chnir.
He then sat down. screwed a mon
ocle ON his eye and viewed me from
top to toe. could see that only good
breeding kept him from laughing at
the spectacle presented. could see
he wanted to laugh In the worst way.
go ahead and laugh |" l said. you
can't offend me the way l feel this
blessed day I" and he needed no second
invitation. Incidentally 1t gave me a
chance to laugh at him, for 1 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
story.
Lieutenant" he said when had
concluded, you can have anything
you want. l think your experience
entities you to It,"
"Well. consul" replied. II would
like a bath, a shave, a haircut and
some civilized clothes about as badly
as a man ever needed them, suppose,
but before that 1 would like to get a
cable of to America to my mother
telling her that am safe and on my
way to England"
The consul gave me the necessary
information and had the satisfaction
Of knowing before left the Office that
the cable. with its good tdings, was
on Its 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 / had been bathed and shaved
and had haircut bought some new
clothes and had something to eat, and
! felt like a new man.
As walked through the streets OF
Rotterdam breathing the air Of free
dom again and realizing that there
was no longer any danger Of being
captured and taken back to prison
It was wonderful sensation.
I don't believe there will ever be Q
country that will appear in my eyes
quite as good as Holland did then.
had to be somewhat careful, however
because Holland was full Of German
spies and l knew they would be kees
to learn all they possibly could abou
my escape and my adventures SO tina
the authorities in Belgium could met
out punishment to everyone who wa'
In any respect to blame for 1t. AS was
In Rotterdam only one day, they
didn't have very much opportunity t.
learn anything from me.
The naval officer who accompanied
me and acted as interpreter for m
introduced me to many other soldier
and sailors who had escaped from Bel
GUM when the Germans took Ant
werp, and as they had arrived In Ho
land In uniform and under arms, tn
laws of neutrality compelled their IN
ternment and they had been there eve
since.
The life Of a man who Is inferno
In a neutral county, I learned, is any
thing but satisfactory. He gets on
month year to visit his home. If h
lives In England that is not SO bat
but II he happens to live farthe
away, the time he has to spend wit
his folks Is very short, as the month
leave does not take into considerable
the time consumed In travelling to an
from Holland.
The possibility of escape from Ho
land Is always there. but the BIRTHS
authorities have an agreement wit
the OutCn SOVeInIucht " cCuu AcA'
gees buck Immediately. In this r
spect therefore, the position OF ma
who Is informed is worse than thu
OF . prisoner who, II he does succee
in making his escape, Is naturally r
ceived with open arms In his nnti'
land. Apart from this restraint, ho'
ever. internment, with all Its draw
backs, is a thousand times, yes, nj
lion times, better than being a prison'
Of war In Germany.
1t seems to me that when the WI
is over and the men who have bee
imprisoned in Germany return HON
they should be given a bigger al
greater reception than the most vi
torious army that ever marched In
a city, for they will have suffer-
and gone through more than the wor
will ever be able to understand.
No doubt you will find in the &c
man prison camps one or two fail
hearted individuals with pronounce
yellow streak who voluntarily ga
up the struggle and gave up their II
.fr.I~ i.atx