The Washington times., 1918-07-13

from time to time reports have leaked
- through from Germany indicating
that the humiliations and brutalities
to which the German woman has long had
to accustom herself at the hands Of the Ger
man male have been intensified by the war
to q degree of degradation inconceiVaole
in any civilized race and not to be paral-
leled even by the lowest saVages. Tnese
renorts have gained full confirmation, and
the appalling degeneration of Germany has
been more fully revealed by the return 10
this country of one disillusioned American
girl who married one of the Teutonic mill
tary brutes-Ruby H. Baird, of st. Louis
EARLY in 1914 Miss Baird, daughter OF
one of her cfty's oldest and richest fam
lies, married Captain Hans w. Baumann,
reserve officer Of the German army, who
under the cloak Of business, was, without
doubt, like scores of other skulkinS ras-
calls of the Kaiser, serving his fatherland
by betraying America.
For a few months they were happy. Bau-
mann. constrained by his American en-
yironment, was forced to smother his
natural impulses and conform to the
American habit Of courtesy and kindness
to women. When the war broke out he
was summoned home by the German Gov
ernmenI, and he left, enjoining his wife to
follow him as soon as he reached his
. country. True to her sense of wifely duty.
she obeyed. At the first opportunity she
sailed for Italy, and, after landing at
Genoa, made her way through Italy and
Switzerland, and finally Joined her hus-
band in Berlin.
There she found not only her husband so
profoundly changed that he seemed a
stranger, but her own position as different
as that of one transported to another
sphere.
Instead OF the considerate, kindly and
respectflll husband Of the American days,
she found the true German military herr"
arrogant, overbearing, cruel and cynically
shameless. Instead of the chivalrous
treatment the American woman expects
and receives from her mate, she was show
cred with insults. humiliations and barbara
ties. not only from Baumann, but from his
friends. associates and superiors. She had
become a German wife-part slave, part
drudge, part convenience; both for blows,
and caresses as brutal as the blows.
She stood it as long as she could, and
then with true American courage began
suit for divorce. Her affidavit was not
alone a complaint against Baumann-it was
an Indictment of the whole ruling military
class of Germany as far as their treatment
of their wives is concerned. Rer action
was received with incredulous amaZement.
In official circles It was worse than bias
phemy! For a time the ST. Louis girl was
IN actual danger-the Government gravely
debating whether instead Of her day IN
court" she ought not to be tried for
treason.
But at last certain influences secured
for her a hearing, and the divorce was
granted. Under care of Mrs. Adolphus
Busch widow OF the multi-millionaire
brewer of st. Louis and a friend of her
family, she was allowed to leave Germany.
A few days ago she landed, but under
strict instructions from the Department Of
Justice not TO talk either Of conditions IT.
Germany or Of her divorce and the events
leading to 1t.
Enough has been learned from other
sources, however, to cast some light upon
her experience. and upon the pitiful anG
sordid enslavement of the German wife.
In Prussia always. and in Germany since