New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1919-07-16
OSCAR SPELBRINK
BACK FROM RHINE I
NEW ULM BOY SPEAKS ABOUT
BEAUTIES IN RHINE
VALLEY @
MAJOR ANDERSON HAS STRANGE
VIEWS ON REAL MERITS
OF SOLDIER

. Vi SOLDlEK
One of the latest arrivals from over
seas is Oscar c. Spelbrink, son of Christ
Spelbrink, Indian war veteran, Of this
community. Mr.. Spelhrink is full of
praise of the friendly treatment the
American soldiers generally received
in the" occupied parts of Germany, in
contrast to the selfish behaviour of the
great majority of the French people.
The hospitality of the Germans in the.
Rhine valley knew no bounds, he says.
He also was very enthusiastic over the
natural beauty of the Rhine valley,
greatly enhanced by the imposing castles,
built centuries ago, and the gigantic
monuments of modern times, as for in
stance Der Deutsche Eek" at Coblenz
which city he passed on his way to
Weissenturm.
Do Not Want Kaiser Back.
Oscar found the Germans in the Rhine
valley in peculiar mood ring his short
stay. among them. He remained only
for two days, when the order for de-
mobilization of their squadron was given.
The men he had an opportunity to
speak to- and among them was portrait
artist of Weissenturm, were very out
spoken in regard to the political changes
in Germany. Not one expressed wish
for the return of the Kaiser or a mo-
narchical form of government. They
pointed out that the turn the war had
taken in the summer of 1918 was to be
regarded as benefit for the peoplein
in the Fatcerland because, in the words
of the artist, there was reasonable fear
that the power Of the emperor and Of
the system he was the head of would have
=. become much stronger by German
victory and there could not have been a.
real representative government for the
German people, to the detriment of their
political rights.
A Strange Argument.
Oscar C. Spelbrink' was in the aerial
service of the army. For a while he
was with the 255th Aero Squadron at
&c olombey-les-Belles until they were,
split up into three different fights, the
one he belonged to going to Ourches in
the Toul sector, nine miles behind the
front lines. Many times they were
attacked by German flighing machines
and at one time one of his comrades was
killed outright by high explosive bomb.
So Oscar can justly say that luck was on
his side.
He soon was transferred to head
quarters as clerk of the Chief of the Air
Service, Fourth Army Corps. In this
position he remained until after the
signing Of the armistice on November II.
His work was very satisfactory and he
was up for promotion, he was told. But
Major Anderson-his superior at that
particular time - found something
wrong" with Oscars ancestry. The
parents Of Oscar happen to be from
Germany. AS soon as Major Anderson
heard this he told Mr.. Spelbrink that
under existing circumstances" he could
not be promoted, although everything
Il else spoke in favor of his advancement.
Many Hardships.
After the signing of the armistice, new
arrangements were made regarding the
disposition Of the troops, says Mr.. Spell
brink. He together with some other
boys from the chiefs Office was trans
ferred to the 168th Aero squadron.
While with this squadron they had to
endure many hardships that might have
been avoided, he says. The barracks
chosen we're very bad for sleeping pur-
poses, the mud being so deep that they
had to use duck boards to make walking
possible. They could not complain about
the food they got, however, he states.
Used AS Guards For. Airship.
After their landing in New Y ork, the
latter part Of June, they were sent to the
Roosevelt Flying Field near that city to
wait for the arrival of the British air
ship R-34, which made its first trans
atlantic flight. While there they were
used as guards and a long time they
i had to hold the ropes Of the big airship.
For three long days they were forced to
serve in this capacity, with practically
no rest, although there were enough
enlisted men who could have taken their
places to relieve them, Mr.. Spelbrink
states. This was their welcome to
America, which was q little different
from what they had pictured to them
selves, he says. SIS
On the way across another strange
observation impressed itself UPON the