Page:The Jail, Experiences in 1916.pdf/200

 I said to the superintendent: "I'm in prison for wanting to get my son out of the army, but my son was taken at the very first levy, he's passed through the volunteer academy, finished up as an ensign, gained the large silver medal,—and the most interesting thing about it is that a Russian bullet smashed his left arm; it had to be cut off at the elbow, they gave him an artificial limb, he wasn't discharged from the army, but was put into an office and did clerical work. And I've been here now for six weeks because they say I wanted to get my son out of the army. And the superintendent smiled and said: That's hard luck on you, but we have proofs. They have proofs,—but it's a certain thing that my son is a cripple and that I'm in jail, and it's a certain thing that I don't understand how the one could have arisen from the other,—Mr. M. you're the most intelligent man in this room, kindly explain it to me."

I asked him whether he had made any attempt to save his son from military service.

"Any attempt, what attempt? Is there anybody who dashes off to join of his own accord? Wouldn't anyone rather stay at home? If that's a punishable offence, then they ought to imprison every father who has a grown-up lad."

"Wait a bit, my dear Mr. Lamm, permit me to ask you just one question. Before the levy, did you speak to anybody on the tribunal?"

"I did. Why shouldn't I speak? One man can speak to another."

"Well let's suppose that you spoke to the regimental doctor, and that you spoke to him about what was going to happen to your boy."

"What else should I talk to the regimental doctor about? I spoke about my son."