The sun., 1919-10-19
BY MAJOR c. E. RUSSELL.

was starting on a seven days leave.
So instead Of taking the train for Nice
as planned, boarded one for head
quarters,at Tours, realizing that there
must be something the matter. or the
General, who knew that 1 had planned
a trip. would not have disturbed
me. The next morning, bright and
early, l presented myself a. the office,
and was ushered Immediately into the
Generals private> office. After the
usual morning greetings the General
handed me a telegram from general
headquarters, at Chaumont, which
read: Intelligence service in Spain
reports large influx American desert
ers crossing into that country. Detail
man to handle case and stop exodus"
Signed, Pershing.
/ had known for some time that
few of our troops had succeeded in
getting into Spain, but this was a far
more serious matter
Major, / am issuing confidential
orders detailing you to handle this
| case. and you can call upon any one
| necessary to assist you. You know
how we feel regarding the Spanish
| Government-that they are not CO.
operating with US in preventing this.
OF course, there is reason: You see.
l ~ 70 tntn n
they intern him, or at least they pre-
| tend to, and We are forced to recon-
pense the Spanish Government for the
cost of feeding these men; they also
receive their pay through that Gov
eminent. 1t really makes quite an
| item; and as the rate of exchange
now favors Spain she is making a
good profit on these deserters. An
other danger from this is that in Spain
there are many German agents or
spies who are obtaining valuable in
formation from these men. 1t is up
to you to stop 1t! And l wish you
luck in your undertaking.
| Foresters Busy at Frontier.
| Our first move was to visit the
various French frontier towns and ar
range with the local French officials
to arrest any officer or enlisted man
who could not show a proper pass al
lowing him to be in that district. This
arrangement did not prove effective,
! however.
| I then returned to my headquarters
and was planning to have every train
stopped and searched and also to place
men on each train to watch for these
deserters when by chance one of our
negro military police one night ar
rested three soldiers at st. Sulpice.
This NJ. p. was standing on the plat
| form watching the Paris Bordeaux
night express, which had been held up
there owing to freight wreck, when
he was approached by three American
so diers who told him they were to
report to him.
He asked them, what for?"
! And they replied. I'VE are from
Paris and were told that you were to
look out for us until you could send
US into Spain"
This NJ. P. realizing that something
Twas wrong said, "All right, boys! Just
you come along with me and I will
show you the place where you are to
hide. But don't talk. but just come
| quietly" He surely knew his bust
ness, for he led them directly to the
door of the headquarters of the mill
tary police, and opening it sent them
in where they found themselves face
to face with the officer commanding
that district.
One Was American Born.
| Preliminary questioning brought out
the fact that two of these men were
of Austrian parentage, while the third
was a native American. The latter
was the youngest and believed could
be more easily Influenced than the
others, so I took him into my private
office.
Many stories have been told about
the third degree and the methods used
in giving it, but in ninety-five cases
out of 100 a quiet talk with an appeal
to the sympathies at the proper time
is far more effective than strong
arm" methods. Proceeding along this
line l soon learned that this soldier
I was only % years old-a volunteer
and had a mother and sweetheart in
the States. Appealing to his love for
them both, and at length convincing
him that | wanted to help rather than
A punish him. l won him over. Break
ing down, he told me a story that
sounded more like a tale of civil war
days with it's underground railroad.
His story as he told it to us there
that night was this:
81 have been over in France train
ing and fighting for six months; I
fought all through the Chateau
Thierry battles and then my regiment
was sent to the rear to a rest billet.
1 have relatives in Paris and, as I
was entitled to a seven days leave 1
asked for a furlough with permission
to visit them. My Captain refused TO
allow any one to go on leave, so right
after pay day l went A. w. O. l..
intended to see my relatives and then
go back and take my punishment. 1t
was the old story, however, was
having a good time, and the days
passed all too quickly. All at once I
realized that I had been away over
ten days. I'm time OF war a soldier
absent ten days without permission
is classed as deserter and may be
shot for such desertion.) I was stand
ing on a street corner in Paris de-
batting what would do when I was
approached by a Frenchman who
spoke to me.
He told me he was interested in see
ing that American soldiers had a good
| xxyhn IN in %