All attempts at evasion and humor were
vain--here was the ruthless reality of war. It was the mailed Prussian
eagle against the bluff American bird of the same species, and the
unequal contest was soon ended when Major Nikolai, Chief of Division
III. of the Great General Staff, stood up very straight and dignified
and said: "I am a German officer. What German violated his duty? I ask
you as a man of honor, how was it possible for you to come here?"
The answer was quite simple: "The German military machine was so perfect
that it covered every contingency except the most obvious and guarded
every road except the easiest way. All you have to do is to take a
passenger train to Luxemburg, and hang around the platform until the
next military train pulls out for Belgium or France, hop aboard, and
keep on going. In case of doubt utter the magic phrase, 'I am an
American,' and flash the open sesame, the red seal of the United States
of America--to which bearded Landsturm guards pay the tribute of
regarding it as equally authoritative as the purple Prussian eagle
stamped on a military pass."
Followed a two-hour dialogue in the private office of the chief of the
Kaiser's secret field police, as a result of which future historians
will find in the Kaiser's secret archives the following unique document,
couched in Berlin "detectivese" and signed and subscribed to by THE
TIMES correspondent:
Secret Field Police, Great Headquarters, Dec.
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