The New York herald., 1920-01-04
How a French Mother Found
Her Son Held in Germany by
Fear of Being Shot on Return
Youth Oversayed Time After Amstce but Was Discovered
by Dligent Search and Fin ally Got Home Bringing
Child by German Woman Who Left Him.
mother succeeded In gaining his CO
to accompany her.
How French Are Deceived.

ulObDcT SuCCctuSu III SditlIUB us consent
to accompany her.
How French Are Deceived.
On their way through the town they
encountered at saloon group of
French soldiers who were In the same
dilemma as her son. The brave woman
went up to them and addressed them as
follews:-
Are you going to spend the rest of
your life in Germany"
YES" said they, for IL We 60 back
we will be shot
so the Germans have been telling you
that" exclaimed Nine. Bach. But tell
you that 1t Is false" she insisted, and
finally persuaded two of the men to ac-
company her and her son. In the mean
time, the German in whose employ one Of
these men was working became aware Of
what was going on and reported to gen.
darme that spy was meddling with
French soldiers and ought to be arrested.
This was too much for the men whose
doubts Nine. Bach had failed to remove
and they surrounded her, defying the gen.
darme to Interfere, and accompanied her
to the railway station, where she and her
three charges took the train to FRANKFORT.
Thence they reached territory occupied by
French troops and the mother went before
a French commandant, told her tale and
extracted from him promise that no
harm should come to her proteges. and at
last they were free to enter French terri
tory.
Eugene PIazanet rejoined his company
at the barracks Of Chartres, and until the
uncertainty Of his status can be removed
he is being held a prisoner. His two COM
panions underwent the same experience.
The French newspapers have taken up
their cases and are asking IL their deten-
ton Is legal. According to Article Of the
1rxuy nf ACNxr oil l...I
re-enter France after the armistice are
guilty only of refusal to obey. which mis-
demeanor has been cancelled by the terms
Of the amnesty of October, 1918. AS the
papers point out, it is most important that
there be no error in the Interpretation Of
this law, otherwise the Germans would
have good reason for their insidious advice
to French soldiers, and thereby the state
would be in danger of losing a consider
able body of young men.
The Sons Statement.
From the military prison of Mans, where
he is being detained, Eugene Plazanet has
made the following statement
II was employed on farm at Edersle-
ben when the armistice was signed Be-
fore that time / had been detained at
various places. l worked at Riga and
later in the mines, from which escaped
seven times, receiving bayonnet wounds
at the hands Of the Germans in charge.
had a child by German woman and
when the armistice was signed she ran
away from the village, leaving the baby
with me. loved my little girl and was
not willing to 80 back to France without
her, but the Germans would not let me
take her out of the country, so stayed
on. Out Of my rations of a pound of
potatoes day / exchanged half for milk
to feed to the baby Sometimes could
not get the milk then | had nothing for
her but boiled water. ! worked here and
there, gaining never more than two marks
a day, until in April last the civil authori-
ties of Edersleben consented to let me
egitimize my child and gave me her
papers I then resolved to leave for
France, but the German authorities told
me 1t was too late to repatriate myself
and that l would be shot if l returned"
I Plazenet was asked If there were many
French prisoners like himself remaining
in Germany.
Thousands" he replied. and added that
he knew at least sixty who, like himself
had been anxious to return, but who did
not dare. The young man urged that 1t
be made known to these men through
official channels that they are free to re-
turn and are liable to no punishment. He
expressed the belief that he would soon
he set at liberty and the officer detailed
to look into his status confirmed the
Young mans hopes. Plazenet is impatient
ly awaiting his release, as he Is anxious
to contribute to the support Of his little
girl, whom he brought back with him.
and to help his mother, who so valiantly
vent TO his rescue and who spent nearly
1900 francs to accomplish the journey.