True Stories of the Great War, Volume 5 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
History
True Stories of the Great War, Volume 5 (of 6): Tales of Adventure--Heroic Deeds--Exploits Told by the Soldiers, Officers, Nurses, Diplomats, Eye Witnesses
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
Lody admitted that he was acting as a spy. After a short trial he was
condemned to be shot in the old Tower of London. He met his fate very
bravely.
The "ladies' committee" has hunted down all German headwaiters and
waiters employed in the principal English hotels and restaurants and
caused them to be removed to detention camps. These men, owing to the
peculiar character of their work, enjoyed an excellent opportunity for
meeting persons of all the important classes of society, and in the
free expansion that ordinarily takes place at the table all kinds of
confidences were exchanged within their hearing.
Many Germans of high social position and great wealth, some of them
naturalized British subjects, have been pursued by the relentless
"ladies' committee." Professor Arthur Schuster, a born German, but a
naturalized Englishman, was surprised at his luxurious country seat,
when a band of detectives descended on him and seized his private
wireless apparatus.
Lady Glanusk explained to the correspondent of this newspaper some of
the aims and labors of the committee.
She has turned the drawing and reception rooms of her fine house, at
No. 30 Bruton street, Mayfair, into offices for the committee.
"Owing to the fact," said Lady Glanusk, "that no serious effort has
been made by our menkind to round up the 73,000 alien enemies in our
midst, I felt the call to start a protest by women, as it is women who
are the greatest sufferers by war. My husband and two sons are fighting
at the front and thousands of women can say very much the same.
"Ten days after I issued my appeal to the women of England I had formed
my committee with the definite object that all alien-born enemies,
whether German, Austrian or Turk, of military age, be forthwith
interned, whether naturalized or not. Other alien enemies above
military age or under should be removed at least twenty miles from the
coasts and kept under surveillance.
"I consider that women as spies and decoy ducks are more dangerous than
men.
"To such an extent have the women of England been roused that in the
first couple of weeks more than 200,000 signatures to the petition to
be presented to Parliament were obtained.
"Alien enemies, Germans and Austrians particularly, were spread all
along the coast towns and it was impossible to know whether or not
they were in constant communication with the enemy. For my part, I
would like to see as many as possible of these 'useless non-combatants'
dumped right onto German soil. It would be amusing to think of the
embarrassment of the German authorities having to find food and shelter
for something like 70,000 fresh mouths. Another trouble is the shameful
favoritism shown to wealthy and highly placed Anglo-Germans while their
humbler compatriots are interned without ado.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account