Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-18
our people arc fa-irg. What VIC hear

w 'iS loia from tlmc TO timo oil
riots, OF hungry women and children
conEreSatinE in the streets and being
attacked savagely by military and po-
lice who are afraid TO refuse TO carry
out work of this kind because they
know that if they refused they would
be sent off TO tho western front. THAT
Is the punishment for nearly every
serious offence to day.
! In cases of treason. such as in con-
ncction with the revolts in the army
and navy. they don't carry out the
death sentence themselves. They say
1t would be Il waste or German am
munition, with It already scarce
enough. They send the prisoners on
TO tho western front. where they are
put into The front-linc trenches.
! Sometimes they arc chained 20 ma
| chine guns, but as rule there is no
need to take pains of that sort. Death
| finds you soon enough where the Brit
Sh guns arc.
! I'm the army in Flanders the men
arc continually refusing to fight on.
The night I was captured we were out
with a patrol We found that we could
not carry out the task given us. /,
was far too risky because OF the way
the British were watching. SO We had
10 give it up. We knew that il VIC
went back with the story of failure
we would be put on TO some moro dan
Gerou5 work that would be as good rs
4 death sentence.
We talked it over and decided that
We would try to reach the nearest
British post to surrender. The Officer
I in the party was against il at first,
but when he saw we were in earnest
he fell in with us. and We gave our
selves up TO the British. ! darosay
we will be punished If ever the Ger
man authorities get TO know, but I'm
not going back TO Germany.
SUICIDE RATHER THAN
RETURN TO FIRING LINE
Men arc hurried back from hos
pitfalls before they arc 1T for duty AMI
they break down as soon rs they get
back. ! had case of the kind the
other day.
"a battalion made up OF men, who
had been brought back from hospital.
was sent into the nrst-iinc trenches.
They had not been in an hour before
they came out again Some OF them
were crying like women or babies.
and they had not the heart 10 fight.
Tho doctors said they ought never to
have been discharged from hospital.
Many of our mon commit suicide
rather than return TO the front.
of my own company, | know eight
who have taken this way of escaping
from the horrors Of war within tho
last two months. In many cases they
Just put Il finger or hand out of safety
in the hope of getting wound that
will help them to set away 10 hospital.
The result of this is that our com
mand does not now permit tho hos
pital staff 10 take away men that have
lost a finger or other wounds that don't
make them unfit TO serve. All such
cases arc treated behind the lines, and
YOU can see plenty OF men without a
finger or a thumb. 7 counted five close
to me the day before l came out of it.
The mon VINO want TO make certain of
being sent away manage TO lose an
arm or leg.
The price that men Will pay for
immunity from service is going up.
First it was finger. then a hand,
IN arm next; now. where the com
mandins officer is very strict or very
cruel which is the same thing, men
Will gladly give an eye or a leg for
tho chance of being invaIidcd out Of
the army.
You can't always be certain Of that.
however for ! have seen men with one
eye employed in the nshtinc zone.
suppose it will he necessary TO lose
both eyes very soon 10 make certain
OF being released from service"
Sow. that is tho whole story. The
common ordinary. Fritz!es arc general
~ human beings like YOU and I. They
-
very good. but when they become Of
itccrs they seem TO turn Huns instant
~.
Now jus, TO prove that will tell
you another experience OF mine am
again getting ahead Of my story. but
never mind this is good one and I
must tell il. Tho trouble with the Fritz
Is that he Is too obcdicnt TO his Officer
FIGHT ron rILL-BoAEs
- NEVER OF ROSY kISD
Just rrcviouc TO one OF our biz al
tacks our lot went M 10 the front
Inc trenches. u ras 10 be 4 fight for
riii boxes. and from the nature Of tho
ground NC knew II would be stin
struggle. It's . battle in itself TO get
through the mud. 50 things weren't
exactly roS"-looklnE.
''ut Il was All IN the game. and we
could only lie there and wait and figure
out for ourselves how The obstacles
would ho reduced by the terrific ar
tiilcr% hombardmont before VIC topped
the bags and wallowcd forward TO our
objective. It's an experience in itself
to nc on. under that HfuI shelliuE; Il
big experience for US. even.
what II must be for the Huns who
rave tho steel. we'll as tho noise
OF II. TO contend with can he better
imagined than described.
ono pill-boX was within sight. and
AZ ' was watching il saw four Ger
mans under the Ecd Cross nav APP
rroaCh It and enter.
VOL, thought. that's all right
Somebody's got hurt or they're prcpar-
ing
They mus, know that an attack is
coming on--thc bomhardment was suf-
rctent advertisement Of the fact IN all
conscience but what was my surprise
a few minutes afterwards TO see not
four, but twcnty-four at tho very least.
emerge again from the concrete fort.