Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-19
ELEMENTS
ARE At WORK IN ARMY
Andersen Finds Thousands OF Sol
dicrs Who Refuse to Salute
Superior Officers.
THREATEN TO STOP FIGHTING
Rejection of Reasonable Peace Offer
by Germany, Military Will Help
Put Socialists In Power, Declares
Corporal Home on Leave.
ny ALFRED ANDERSEN.


ny ALFRED ANDERSEN.
copyright. 1913. by Star Company
Never have I tread SO near the path
of death as when l began cautious in
quiry into conditions In the German
navy and German military establish
ment. Tho subject seems "Yerbotcn''
in Berlin.
Through seemingly innocent chats In
cafes. with chance acquaintanceS In the
street. and even with German soldiers,
II quickly, became apparent to mo that
revolutionary elements arc at work in
Thousands OF soldiers refuse to sa-
lutte their officers.
ditions ut least sections of the army.
II backed by, Socialists at home. would
conversation with Alfred Boesler.
tv6 eG.por "a Ii tn pomsrania division. IS
Siitschers weinstube s'i in Fr nea nsn ne
"Ah. conditions have chanred IN the the
var began Corporal Boesier. conn
dentially to me as a seeming neutral.
hsn nS oc to ss Of f hs e sa
strike private soldier in the face or
What could the soldier do? Nothing.
Now thousands of soldiers refuse
even to salute their officers. tell you
we are learning" he added Significant
Not that we do not love our country
and fight to win. Mos. soldiers are
be be- bxii Is ,d!: '"al we ca" no 'cnser
aga PS the s Sf Ss los yasEeS any
nut SanS soeislists arc in nf the see e!@x
friends when home on leave. 1t is
RTrest,tYy well undeTsltooa at the front
fnr
and viii help pu, w" the Fei soeiai IL ash n
When ! Inquired why the soldiers did
a ot che sg stTiks in
THAT strike p was ho on un Sala
move, undertaken by an independent
fat faGtion of the Socialists II could serve
the trenches without. supplies and am :
m ,na i,,,'n::. We would have been at
WANT PEACE. hut WILL
NOT BETnAY COUNTRY
we want peace" he continued after
n brief pause. but, you must realize
try. and We will not betray 1t any mo :.
than you would think OF betraying
aollandwor did you come from
II asked Corporal Boesler what he
thought of the memoirs OF Prince Lich-
land took every. step possible to avoid
the entrance into the war ana placed
silly. was his nnswer. "prince
hhEs th ywh Is M a9Esh as eES.ds
TO ruin his diplomatic career"
This impression. I learned. was gem
erel in Germany. Clever home propa-
sador TO London just as Corporal Boes-
Prince afEoWs ebarNa tba4 in
many was responsible for the war had
been SO twisted AZ to make 1t ridicu-
concedc that the Lichnowsky and Won
Jaeow papers arc new phases OF a gem
erul endeavor TO place responsibility
found that tho German people
know practically nothing Of conditions
IN the navy beyond reports OF imagi-
nary U-boat victories from an inspired
and censored press.
met Harold Trondhjem. soda wa
land. MIR. Trondhjem IL staid and
conservative business man of the old
school.
CITES TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF
HOW MEN TREAT OFEICERs
He told me that the crews of German
TWarships visiting HelSihgrors gave evil
passed by the Russian navy
"A typical example OF how the men
treat their officers" said he. was fur
Waidvogei. who Introduced himself to to
me on the street and offered 10 sell
SAID f4an IknIus lfbst she men
the German navy We're determined 10
eXterminate the Kaiser and ali his
breed. When ] asked him why they
had not done II long~ago. he shrugged
his shoulders and drawled, we are
still waiting for n chance
Il bought the supplies and VALID
vogel invited me TO Visit him aboard
But will the officers allow me to
come on board?" l asked.
-" Officers hell.' snarled Waldyosel.
You Just come and tell the sentry you
want 70 see gunner's mate Waidvogei.
dare stop you"
Herr ,Trondhjem also reeounted an
interesting. story about the Smuggling
trade carried on by the German blue,
jackets visiting Finland.
Usually the vessels remain at Hell
singfors few days at n time" he said
Then they are relieved by other ships
ard return TO Germany.
Every newly. arrived sailor brings n
stock or German goods which he sells
TO the Firms at outrageous prices For
sncchnrine for instance, they charge
1000 Finnish marks ($l,40O) a hound
Sugar they sell at 500 marks a pound
The prices quoted by Herr Trondhjem
maintained they. were correct. lie said
German sailors told him that discipline
was still strict aboard U-boats. This,
he explained. was made possible bv
keeping the U-boat crews Isolated from
other naval divisions. Loyalty OF the
C-boat crews may also be accounted
for by the fact that they are nearly
all volunteers.