WHAT I SAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1917, Page 6

WHAT I SAW.

To the Editor. Sir,—Having taken a careful tally of the casualties of the opposing armies in the field since the war began, that is, of course, according to cable news, I find that the German side has lost 10,973,311 men, and also that the Allied armies have lost 3,303,411 men in the battle. We are also informed on the most reliable authority that the Germans opposing us for the last two years are composed of old men and boys, starved, ragged, hungry, miserable creatures who run away as soon as they see a British soldier or hold their hands up and cry "Have mercy, Kamerad!" In view of the fact that .the Germans run away you would naturally think that the Allies would follow them up and chase them to Berlin instead of sticking t') the same ground year after year waiting for thf> Germans to come back to fight them on the old ground once more. This is a 'question that I thought a, lot over. In fact, on one occasion I thought myself to a sound sleep over it. But I iion't know whether, I am right in saying a "sound sleep," for the simple reason that I dreamt all the time. T dreamt I was travailing through Germany and that on a certain day I reached a srftall which appeared to possess a great number of people out of all proportion to the size of the town, and, being curious, I asked, Where did they all come from? I wasytold that they had come from the factory. I remarked that it must be a very big factory, and I asked my informant to show me .where it -was, which he willingly did. To my astonishment I came to the conclusion that at last I had arrived at what was known as the corps factory. My blood ran cold, and I stood still for a while, and wondered what was best to do next in such uncanny surroundings. But, after a little thought, I decided on going ahead and seeing what was to be seen. So in I stalked through the firsb entrance that presented itself to inc. But low and behold! In the very first shop that I entered there the business was in full swing and all doubts as to its existence confirmed. This room was what is known as the "boiling down room," and as I gazed in wonder at the performance of this most gruesome business mv attention was attracted by a constant stream of men passing one of the windows and all going in the same direction, and I began to wonder where they all come from, or what was their business. But looking round, I asked the man in charge of the boiler what use they intended making of the stuff, and be answered and said: 'l'll show you directly," and he was as good as his word. He led me into another room, where the stuff from the boiler was run to through a pipe and if I was surprised before I was amazed now, for in this room there was a big ugly mould, and if you could see what I have seen issuing from that mould you would not be surprised that I am grey haired as the result. For instead of oils and other matters being discharged, a stream of live men, fully dressed, even to the boots and looking in the prime of life, flowed from that mould at the rate of four a second, so that instead of a corpse factory it is a real live man factory, which accounts for the impossibility of reducing the German man power. I apologise for this long letter and thank you in anticipation.—l am, etc., JOHN DIGGINB. Lepperton, June 12.