Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1918 — Page 2

YANKEES ABUSED BY HUN CAPTORS

Treat Prisoners Worse Than Did the Red Savages of Pi* oneer Days. INFUCT CRUEL PUNISHMENT Americans Paraded Half - Starved About Germany and Cheated of Food Offerings From British Prisoners by Swift Removals. The Hague.—From irrefutable evi deuce obtained by the New York Times correspondent, it is Impossible to close one’s eyes to what is going on in the hospitals and prisoners’ camps in Germany. It is a mistake to believe that the treatment of prisoners and wounded in Germany has improved. On the contrary, it is as bad as it ever was, even worse. The punishments inflicted are cruel and inhuman. As is well known, prisoners are absolutely dependent upon parcels for food and clothing. A favorite punishment is to withhold these from a whole camp or from large bodies of prisoners. It has been established beyond doubt that prisoners are employed behind the front and are under shellfire, in defiance of The Hague agreement of 1917. Some prisoners never reach a camp in Germany for six months, meanwhile receiving no parcels of food. Their condition on arrival at camp, broken down and starving, is pitiable. Hawked About Country. The evidence doesn’t tend to show that American prisoners are receiving any preferential treatment. It is reported that the first American prisoners taken were hawked about the country, presumably to show them oft to the populace. At Giessen, where, it would seem, American prisoners w’ere kept on tw T o separate occasions, they were prohibited any intercourse, even by sign language, with other prisoners and were not allowed to receive parcels or gifts from them. British prisoners at Giessen asked It they could give parcels to Americans and finally received permission to do so the following day. But the next day the American prisoners were moved away early in the morning. British prisoners were able to detect Americans who had been captured any length of time by their appearance and by the state of their clothes. Until parcels for them arrived from Berne their state was deplorable. A British noncommissioned officer recently obtained the signatures of the first ten Americans captured and

BIG BEAR WORRIES FARMERS

Steals Stock and Poultry in Maryland Community but Cannot Be ' Captured. Fredersberg, Md.—Much excitement prevails in Puckum, a farming community between here and Seaford, about the appearance there of a big bear which has been terrorizing the farmers. * All efforts to capture the intruder or to get close enough to see what species he is have proven futile. Farmers who have been missing young cattle and fowls think they have fallen prey to the bear. It has been seen by persons driving along the roads, and on several occasions the farmers have armed themselves and gone in search of ■ it, but the bear eludes them by hiding in a swamp. Traps which have been set in 'the swamp have failed to capture it.

BAR GERMANS FROM BUSINESS

Two Cities in Ohio Refuse Licenses to All but American Citizens. Cleveland, O. —Cities in Ohio are curbing the Germans in various ways, but it remained for Mayor H. L. Davis of Cleveland, and Mayor I. S. Myers of Akron, to issue orders barring aliens from obtaining licenses enabling them to do business in the two cities. Hereafter only those who are American citizens or who have taken out their first papers will be eligible to licenses.

HOPED TO BITE MAILED FIST

Professional Nail Eater and Circus Performer Fails to Pass Medical Test. Boston. —Just because one can eat tacks and cut glass without having Indigestion is no sign that he would make a good soldier. That is what Albert Logan of Somerville, was told today When he applied for enlistment at the British-Canadian recruiting mission. Logan filled out an application blank and gave his occupation as “professional nail eater and circus performer.” The clerk looked up. “Don’t believe It?” inquired Logan. "Give me your pen.” It was the only one the clerk had. so he couldn’t spare it for the test. However, Logan could not pass the physical examination. It was found that his peculiar diet necessitated opfirlans at the close of the circus season. and surgeons said he could not stand the strain of long marches. Logan was disappointed. "And I thought I was going to have a chance to bite the kaiser's mailed flat," he ■aid as be walked out

talked with them. These men signed the scrap of paper In the hope that some news of them would reach the outside world. They were in poor physical health and somewhat despondent Some of the Evidence. A few recent examples from a large amount of sworn evidence follows: In February, 1918, 4,000 men were sent from a Westphalian camp to within thirty kilometers behind the front. Their guards ran away to escape the British shrapnel fire. The state of prisoners coming from the big Somme battle In the first week of the present month was deplorable. Their wounds had not been dressed in many cases for more than ten days. Owing to the lack of dressing, British comrades bandaged their wounds with old towels and shirts. It was formerly announced by the German authorities in Camp Bonn on April 13 last that two British soldiers, R-— and B , had been shot near Minden for not stopping talking when ordered to do so. In November, 1917, men were brought into the hospital at M continually, having been wounded by shrapnel from behind the lines. Wounded men lay for three or four weeks unattended and grossly neglected. Much of the sworn evidence is so repugnant that it could not be published. There has been talk of reprisals on American prisoners, and even foreigners born in America are included in these threatened reprisals. -We will hit America through the allies,” one commandant stated.

MACCHI AIRPLANE USED BY THE ITALIANS

A huge Italian flying boat about to take the water for the first time. The boat is a Macchi biplane, one of the largest of its type. It is one of the eyes of the Adriatic fleet that has kept the Austrian bottled up in Trieste.

YANKS DON’T SCARE

Clock Shells in Long-Range Bombarding of Paris. Sporting Instinct of Uncle Sam’s Soldiers Lead Them to Play Timekeeper to Guns of Hun. New York. —“American soldiers in Paris clocked the shells from the 72-mile-gun when the Germans began bombarding the French capital,” was the report by Albert Ogden of Columbia county. New York, one of the-Y. M. C. A. secretaries arriving at the New York headquarters of the national war works council of the organization, after having experienced three days of the sensational “express gun” shelling. The question has been asked: “How did the Americans act when the long-distance shells hit Paris?" “The Americans did not take to cover when the ‘Alert’ was sounded, but went out into the streets, consulted their watches and ‘clocked’ the intervals, between the shots by the longrange gun,,” said this “Y” man. “One of the shells hit the building in the Grand boulevard, a block from the •Y’ pavillion, one of the three hotels we conduct in Paris. Our men held their watches on the shots and figured out that-They arrived once every 15 minutes, practically on the quarter hour by the clock.

WILL GROW POTATOES

Boys and Girls Urged to Become “Patriots.” Woodcraft Potato Clubs, Founded by Ernest Thompson Seton, Will Compete for Medals. New York. —Home gardeners last year were prompted by only one patriotic impulse, to help increase our food supply. This year there is a second reason, the need to do all that we can to avoid further congestion of freight shipments. On account of their bulk In shipment, potatoes are therefore one of the nftost important of the vegetables for home growing and because of this the work of the Woodcraft Potato clubs, founded last year by Ernest Thompson Seton, Is meeting a hearty response. These clubs of boy and girl *potatrlots” as Mr. Seton has dubbed them, flourished in 26 states last year and the indication* are that their number will much

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.- *

NAVAL INSURANCE UNIT PROVES GREAT SUCCESS

Chicago.—According to figures made public, the insurance unit at the Great Lakes Naval Training station is one of the greatest of its kind in the world. These figures show that 25,000 men have signed up for Insurance, totaling $242,500,000. The average insurance per man is $9,700. The drive for Insurance closed in February, but was continued to April 12. When later figures are given out the above amount is expected to be greatly augmented.

POET REJECTED AS SOLDIER

Gibbs of Nowhere Fails to Sing His Way Into Camp of United States Marines. Buffalo, N. Y. —A float wave of poetic verse threatened to swamp the recruiting office of the United States marine corps here recently when Burt Gibbs of nowhere in particular entered the office and burst out: vMy country calls, I wish to fight. “Pray tell me, am I in right?” His auditors were staggered and one braver than the rest led the poetic Gibbs, still chattering, to the officer in charge. Gibbs effected a lordly bow and swept his hat to the floor: “I’ve come to fight to clean the sea, To make it safe for democracy.” This was followed with: “Prithee, kind sir, I’m known to fame. “Think and reflect —Gibbs is my name.” But Gibbs may gain poetical but never military fame. He was rejected as physically unfit.

“The French could not believe at first that Paris was being shelled, and not being bombed in an airplane raid. The French airplanes went up, circling around until they were almost out of sight looking for the Germans. It was not until later that they realized that it was a case of bombardment. I saw the mark of one shell where it had cut through a house, a horizontal mark, and not from above. I also saw a sliver of a shell. “The long-range shooting is followed by nightly air raids. The American soldiers .have become utterly indifferent to them. One night recently there was an air raid and the ‘Alert’ was sounded, the police and firemen blew their whistles and I heard a soldier protesting against being wakened up and told to get into the cellar. .His voice bellowed down the air shaft: ‘Bring that cellar up here.’ ”

SLAYS NEGRO OBJECTOR TO WAR TAX—ACQUITTED

Montgomery, Ala, —A negro objected to the penny war tax on five-cent packages of tobacco and started a fight. Robert Owen, the cigar store proprietor, killed him. The jury said “not guilty.”

more than double this spring. Their slogan is “Grow a bushel of potatoes and save a bushel of transportation.” There are no dues or fees and any boy or girl who Is willing to raise at least 24 hills of potatoes can secure a Woodcraft Potato club button and compete for the medals and prizes by merely enrolling as a member. The headquarters are at 13 West TwentyNinth street. New York. A special class for older members who wish to raise a larger crop offers to ewch member raising one hush'd or more a special certificate for rendering patriotic service and a gold medal will be awarded for the largest crop. It is suggested that members contribute the proceeds of their crops to some war fund, but this is not required. The competitions and prizes are open to those who may already be working in a home conservation or garden club. In most states, potatoes planted during the first half of May do as well as those planted earlier; but whether or not you have already planted your potatoes, it is not too late to enroll in Mr. Seton’s organisation of “potatriota.” -

THE CONSOLER

By AGNES G. BROGAN.

(Copyright, 1»U, Woatcra Newspaper UtUon.) The youth in sailor uniform paced gloomily up and down. At length, with an impatient gesture, he stood looking out to where the water rippled In the sunlight. How he had dreaded a short time ago the sailing of that great vessel which should carry him to fight for his country 1 Not that Ned Seaton was a coward! His very being thrilled at the privilege of service, but there was the sorrow of leaving Honor behind ; Honor, whose name 7 had proved a bitter mockery. Always she had seemed to belong to him, back from kindergarten days, and each transforming year had but made her more desirable. How proud she had been when he had enlisted in the navy! What plans they had made together for his triumphant return! Honor was to be the guiding star of his absent existence, the reward of war’s toil. And now —only last night unexpectedly and ciuelly, he had read of her marriage. She had hastily married a soldier departing for France. Ned knew the fellow well, but no one had suspected attachment between “Seaton’s sweetheert” and Jack Towne. Moodily he watched the great waters, discouragement tugging at his heart. If only he might be called to fierce, all-absorbing battle; instead of thiw unbearable slleift waiting. Near him .halted a light-running car. He was unaware of a girl at the wheel until her voice challenged him.

“Off duty?” she called pleasantly. “Would you like a spin down the road?” The invitation was an unusual, yet familiar one. It had become an established custom for passing automobllists to pick up soldiers or sailors along the route, carrying them for an hour or so, away 'from the monotony of camp. But it was not often that a solitary girl driver gave the invitation. “I just dropped a grateful soldier a few miles below,” she said. Ned Seaton shook his disconsolate head. “No, thank you,” he answered. But the girl persisted. “It will do you good,” she suggested, “and, I was going to ask afterward, to be shown through the barracks.” There was something very contagious in the boyish frankness of her smile, and scarcely realizing his own capitulation, Ned Seaton entered the little car. Y “Isn’t this exhilarating?” she flashed at him. “I felt it •duty to insist upon rescuing you, Mr. Seaton; you had the appearance of being about to commit suicide.” Ned stared. “You know me, then?” he questioned. "It is strange that I should have forgotten meeting you." “You haven’t forgotten,” the girl replied, “we have never met, yet I am more in your confidence perhaps than your nearest friepd. If I equid pretend to be a ‘crystal gazer,’ Mr. Seaton. I might tell you the tragic story of your life.” There- was mischief in the girl’s lovely eyes. The sailor leaned forward curiously. “Will you pretend that you are a crystal gazer and tell me?” he said.

For answer she brought her car to a stop beneath a cluster of trees and gave him her undivided attention. “Crystal gazers must be pardoned seeming rudeness if they would narrate truthfully,” she began. “I see in your lifelong companionship severed, trust betrayed, and the woman you loved wedded to another. But she was not wholly to blame, neither was her faithlessness deliberate. She believed in the genuineness of affection for you until absence proved that she could care for another more. When this discovery came to her, she still tried to be true. But the coming der parture of the man who had won her heart left no doubt as to her own feelings. It was at a farewell party given by this man’s sister* that he claimed the promise which resulted in their marriage yesterday. Tomorrow he leaves for abroad. And you will be wise to forget a dream which was only a dream after all, and look for the bigger things to come.” “You know me so well," he said, “will you not tell me your name?” Smilingly the girl considered. “I pass this way frequently,” she told him. “Upon our last drive together you shall know.” He was more than curious when the light car again flashed around the corner. He was proud to take her through the she was so very good to look upon and a nod here and there showed that she was not unacquainted. “I have been thinking,” confided the girl as they rode down the tree-bor-dered road together, “of a possible sequel to your life story. The soldier who married is but a soldier after all ; danger threatens abroad. Who may tell of war? A sailor might still come back to find free the Woman he loved.” “The woman I loved was the one I loved,” said Ned Seaton, “and that is passed. When I come back I shall hope to find, I shall long to find, a girl whom I love and who loves me.” Startled, she glanced into his earnest eyes. “What is her name, dear?" he asked quietly. The girl gasped, then she smiled. “My name which has nothing to do with the girl you love, is Sue Towne,” she replied, “sister of the man Honor married. It was she. who told me your story and I was sorry.” “Your pame has everything to do with the girl I. love,” said Ned.

HAMBURG, A FREE CITY

WHILE it has been suspected that of “German kultur” exaggerated to undue gravity the “peace •trikes” that apparently spread like a great conflagration over Germany and Austria, to exercise a deterrent effect upon entente war operations, it is a general conviction that the half has not been told In the meager reports that have sifted to us through Switzerland and Holland. One of these was that the most serious of the protesting strikes against continuation of the war was that of Hamburg, one of the three “free cities” of Germany, the greatest port in Europe and one of the very few great ports of the world. It would be natural for Hamburg to assume prominence and in a way In leadership of a movement which really has been imbued with a deal of the bolshevik! spirit of Russia for cessation of the war and the conclusion of a peace on a somewhat radical democratic basis, writes E. W. Lightner in the Pittsburgh Dispatch. It has been mbre than half a century a leader of advanced thought and action in Germany, insistently democratic in its inspiration, opposed to junkerism though, as a matter of course, submitting to the militarism of the empire. With the economic furor aroused by the great argument of Karl Marx in Das Kapital, and the political organization.effected by Ferninand Lassalle, no people in Prussia or the German states were so profoundly moved as those of Hamburg. One result was election to the reichstag of its three socialist members, this being followed by the election of four from Berlin under the very nose of King William I and of Bismarck, who attempted to crush so-

clalism by law and actually pave the way to the world war. Called "Venice of the North.” He who has not seen Hamburg has not seen Germany or Europe. With its great canals and basins and rivers and harbor it long ago well earned the soubriquet of “The Venice of the North.” It not only has canals "rivaling those of Venice in number, but also much of the, medieval aspect of Venice with much that is splendidly modern, great old structures as striking in architecture as any in Venice, church towers exceeded in height only by those of the cathedral at Cologne and, business and private houses as quaint and fascinating as can be found in Europe. The history of this great port city and city state is as rich in tragedy and romance as Greece and Rome, though for obvious reasons less celebrated in literature. Its themes were prosaic, Its rhythms were those of mighty commerce far beyond compare with that of Venice and Genoa In the days of their merchant princes. Assaulted and looted by Danes, Norse. Slays, Romans and various’ others of the brigands throughout a period embracing hundreds of years, it ever rose from its imperial waters by which nature seemed to have destined it to become an Imperial port. For protection of commerce it united with Bremen and Lubeck In the formation of a “hause,” or league, and soon, with the Incorporation of other cities arose the "Hanseatic league.” which for long years actually dominated the commerce of Eu-

View of Harbor of Hamburg.

rope, establishing branches and headquarters in other commercial cities and even almost playing a game of fiftyfifty in London itself, having for a long period an establishment at the Steelyard ih that city. It secured special privileges in several of the chief cities in northern Europe and held undisputed sway of the Baltic sea and Ger- * man ocean. It supressed land robbers and sea pirates, but exacted undue toll from other countries and with their progress within themselves began its decline. Nearly Ruined by Davout. It was Maximilian I, who in 1510 declared Hamburg an imperial city, and it was under the sway of Napoleon I that it met with ruin, beginning with its corporation into the French empire in 1810, just 300 years after the historic decree of Maximilian. For more than a year, beginning with 1813, the city was under the control of the French General Davout, who gave free reign to pillage, and the population rapidly dwindled from 100,000 to nearly 50,000. After NapoleOn it entered the German federation as a free city of the empire. From this it developed as a commercial and maritime , city with amazing rapidity, suffering only one check, the disastrous fire in 1842. The old Hanseatic league had been long a matter of history, but there remained of it the original three free cities, Hamburg, Bremen, with its splendid port of Bremerhafen, and Lubeck. The three gained in population wonderfully, but Hamburg far outstripped the others, and is, next to Berlin, the most populous city in Germany. Within 30 years preceding 1900 it has increased in population more than 300,000, and before the war the population

Scene In Hamburg.

was estimated at more than 1,000.000, while the city-state, 159 square miles In area, and one of the German states, has tens of thousands more. Hamburg is essentially a “free city.” It has absolutely home government Since-the beginning of its days of peace and prosperity It has spent hundreds of millions in public works, owns or rigidly controls all public utilities, some of which have been leased to private operators; has coristructed the finest harber’appointments of any city of the world. It has unexcelled schools, libraries containing hundreds of thousands of volumes, beautiful parks and gardens, palatial residences, one of the most Interesting of zoos and a rival of Coney Island at the rollicking suburb of St. Paulus; and for long years the spectacle of the shipping has been unrivaled In any other port nt the world. It would be .an Ideal place for a “peace strike” this “Venice of the North,” this home of radical democracy which rejoices In a home government that reaches kaiserdom only through its representatation In the ,Natlonal Parliament, a representation not usually to the liking of "the divinely anointed.”

“John was a good man,” said the dlsconolate widow, “but he was so old fashioned to the last.” “How so?" iiked the sympathetic friend?" “Well, he got killed by a runaway horse."

Couldn't Be Modern.