FRANCE: Lucky Deserter

When the Law or a woman has pinioned a man, let him wriggle out and flee to Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria. From that headquarters of the French Foreign Legion he can go forth a bleu, with wages of six cents per month in his pocket, and no fear of extradition. His lot will be a sandy purgatory of heat, fever, mosquitoes, mangy beasts and tribesmen foes who fight like jackals—but there will be “no questions asked”. . . . Such a life attracts not only fugitives, but honest youths athirst for adventure. Such a life attracted Bennett J. Doty of Biloxi, Miss. (TIME, July 26, 1926), who served with the Legion gallantly in Syria, then deserted. He was not sentenced to death but to only eight years hard labor because of pressure from the U. S. State Department. Last week the result of more such pressure was that Bennett J. Doty was released from serving out his sentence and arrived in France from Sidi-bel-Abbes.

Beau Geste. At Marseille, lucky Deserter Doty was met by U. S. correspondents who had learned about the French Foreign Legion from the U.S. cinema Beau Geste (TIME, Sept. 6, 1926). They remembered the tigerish Legion officer, in that film who allots blows & curses to his men. Are such kicks typical of the Legion?

In answer came a story, of the final dialog, last week, between Mr. Doty (known in the Legion as Gilbert Clare) and his commander, Colonel Rollet, at Sidi-bel-Abbes. M. le Colonel, choleric, began by reminding Mr. Doty that he ought to have been shot for desertion, then went on to praise him for certain acts of gallantry. Finally Colonel Rollet cried: “Clare, you are returning to America; you know there has been a film made there, Beau Geste, reviling the Foreign Legion.”

Replied Mr. Doty, stiff at attention: “Oui, mon Colonel.”

“The film is a monstrous lie!” shouted Colonel Rollet. “You know, Soldier Clare, there is justice in the Legion.” “Oui, mon Colonel.” “I wish I had the man here who made that film!*”But you, Soldier Clare, know that it is a lie. When you return to America, give us a square deal. Tell the truth, that’s all I want.” “Oui, mon Colonel.” “Touchy.” At Marseille, Deserter Doty said: “Colonel Rollet is a touchy old egg, but he’s been on the level. . . . The Legion is no young ladies’ seminary, though I’ve never been to one. . . . “Discipline—that’s all Legionnaires know . . . but I’ve never been punished for anything unless I was in wrong.” When Mr. Doty reached Paris, last week, he said: “Once an officer asked me why I had joined the Foreign Legion, and I had to tell him that I didn’t for the life of me know. He said I must have been crazy.” At London correspondents discovered, last week, one Thomas William Whitman, an Englishman who had just arrived from Africa after successfully deserting from the French Foreign Legion. “We were punished by Legion officers,” he said “for slight mistakes with lashes from huge rawhide whips.”

* The novel Beau Geste is by Percival Christopher Wren; the film was made by Director Herbert Brenon.