The herald., 1918-05-02

| fenced to extra watch duty for week
for the offense Of displaying love OF
| humanity.
Our leader, Lieutenant Of Reserve
Elm, declared that such thing as pity
was insanity. He said If the woman
had eight children that was her bust
ness. Then he concluded by saying
with great emphasis: "In war every
| body loOks out for themselves, even
If everything around him perishes."
Another. soldier was sentenced to
serve II days at hard labor. He was
| bringing bread to a hungry family and
had six small loaves in his arms, which
he had gathered from among the sol
| diers. The same lieutenant met him.
accompanied by several nOncOmmis-
! stoned officers. To the question as to
where he was going. he replied that he
! was on his way to assist a poor family
| which had actually suffered hungeA
| The lieutenant at once ordered him to
return the bread 10 his company. Then
he ragged and ragged at the soldier, call
! ing him fool, idiot, Hottentot, etc. But
! the soldier nevertheless did not obey
and when the lieutenant Numbered a
second command TO halt, the soldier
turned around and threw the bread
before the lieutenant's feet. Then he
said quietly. IL 10 not wish anybody
any harm, but If you and your auto
cratic family, and the whole German
nation had to endure what the poor
Belgians are obliged to suffer, II would
be bitter but just lesson"
This man was sentenced to serve IA
days for talking back to his superior
officer. 1t surprised US all that he was
| let off so easily.
But bitterness In the ranks grew,
and at last the many hard punishments
that were pronounced created so much
feeling that the soldiers refused to tie
any of their comrades.
We left Sugny the next morning and
one hour later crossed the Franco-Bel-
gian border. Here again we were or
dered TO give three cheers as we did
when our troops first crossed Germany
into Belgium. At noon We arrived at
Vivier-Au-COurt. We remained In the
| village until evening and were per-
mitted to go about without restric-
lions. In the afternoon nine men of
my company were arrested for assault
! ing a woman but were soon released.
At this time there was a great scar
city Of tobacco among our soldiers and
knew that a mark or more was paid
for a cigarette whenever one was Of
fered for sale. Here. in Vivier-Au-
Court there was but or government
tobacco stall. / have seen how men
were forced by noncommissioned off,
GERS at the point of guns to give up
their entire supply of tobacco for
worthless requisitiOn papers. These
gentlemen" later sold their tobacco
at half a mark for small packets.
Toward evening we marched of and
brought the howitzers to Q new posi-
ton, from where the enemy's defenses
on the Mouse could be bomtarded.
After a short march we encountered
and fought a French army northeast
of Donchery. Only the enemy's rear
guard was on our side of the Mouse.
To It was given the duty of covering
the crossing of the main body Of the
French armies over the Mouse, which
was done near Donchery.
The few bridges left standing were
not sufficient for the enemy to cross
as speedily as he should have. As q
result there developed in Donchery q
terrible fight. The French made an
enormous effort. There was a terrible
slaughter as man fought against man.
It was one Of the most fearful battles
I have ever witnessed. No one knew
afterwards how many he had killed.
Sometimes stronger men, then weaker
ones attacked. The glare from burn
Ing houses turned into red the whites
OF the fighters eyes and revealed men
battling one another frothing at the
mouth.
without any headgear, unkempt
hair, uniforms open or mostly torn,
it was bayonetting, hitting, scratching
and plunging like wild beasts for life
or death. Everybody fought for his
life. There was no quarter. Only
moaning and gasping could be heard.
Each man thought only Of his own
life, of death or his home. Old memo
ries raced through the mind, pursuing
one another feverishly and yet men
grew wilder, for they now battled a
new enemy-exhaustion.
But there could not yet be any let
up. Again and again there Is nothing
to do but strike, stab, bite, fighting
without guns or other weapons except
those provided by nature for life or
death.
The exertion becomes more super
human. You bite and you are a victor.
But victor only for q second, for the
next antagonist is already upon you.
He has just killed one of your COM
rades. You suddenly remember that
you still have dagger. After a hasty
search you find 1t In Its regular place.
One, two, three and 1t sinks to the hilt
In the breast Of your enemy. On, on,
where there are new enemies. You
suddenly see your next antagonist be-
fore you. He is after your life. He
bites. stabs, scratches, to get you down,
to pierce your heart with his dagger
and again you use yours. Thank God,
hx yne.