C~*^ '•r-«'-V^ ^¥'1 if'V* •, PAGE SIX URGED TO SLAY GERMANS EXCUSE Ism." "'The soldier who endures s'arfering, rore tne war was carried on with the German soldier on the eastern front: privation and fatigue, who object of impressing upon the minds "Russian Poland, December 18, '14. courts dangers, cannot take only 'in of the Germans the treacherous nature "In the name of Christianity I send ANDJ5PARE NOT ATROCIOUS ACTS proportion to tho resources of the of the peoples against whom the mill-, frou these words. ORBARBARIIiES country.' He must take all that is necessary tary leaders were anxious to wage "Wounded Russians are killed with to his existence. One has no war. Not only were the Germans gradz. the bayonet according to orders. right to demand of him anything superhuman." ually led to believe that it was necessary "And Russians who have surrendered "The great good in war is to fight a defensive war against are 'often shot down in masses according I that it should be ended quickly. In unscrupulous foes, but also that these German Soldiers Incited to Acts to orders, in spite of their Murder, Pillage and Arson Part view of this, every means, except those foes would violate every precept of humanity, heart-rending prayers. of Cruelty by General Von which are positively condemnable. and consequently must becrushed of Deliberate Scheme of "In the hope that you, as the representative must be permitted. I cannot, in any without mercy as a measure of a Christian state, will Bissing. Warfare. way, agree with the declaration of St. of self-defense. The fruits of this protest against this, I sign myself, Petersburg when it pretends that 'the campaign of suspicion and hatred became Atrocious Treatment of the Help* "A GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRIS-^ weakening of the military forces of the evident when almost at the outbreak TIAN." r% 'ess Part of Campaign Plans 'EMANATION OF HIGH KULTUR' enemy' constitutes the only legitimate of the war many Germans became HIGH OFFICERS^ ON RECORD The third letter, from the western method of procedure in war. No One possessed with the belief that of Military Leaders. front, shows the same horror Of the must attack all the resources of the whole population of Belgium, the the system of which the writer was a witaess. enemy government, his finances, his Governor General of Belgium on Rec« first country to invaded, had violated be No Possible Evasion of Responsibility railroads, his stock of provisions and every rule of honorable warfare, ord as Declaring the Innocent Must POLICY OF FRIGHTFULNESS for Bestial Acts Which for Centuries "To the American Government, even his prestige. ..." that francs-tireurs (guerrillas) the Suffer With the Guilty—Irvin Washington, U. A. Have Had No Parallel- S. Many other examples might be cited were everywhere present doing their Cobb's Tale of Horrors. "Englishmen who have surrendered Officially Indorsed. from the writings of German generals. deadly work in or under secrecy the are shot down in small groups. With Terrorism Declared a Necessary Prin. The very best illustration of this attitude, cover of darkness women and that the French one is more considerate. I The horrors deliberately and systematically ciple in National Warfare—Brutalities The people of the United States however, is to be found in the children even were mutilating and killing ask whether men let themselves be inflicted upon the people May Be Said to Be Directly emperor's various speeches, and especially the wounded or helpless prisoners. are beginning to learn the truth concerning taken prisoner in order to be disarmed in his speech to his soldiers on of Belgium by the Germ'an soldiers, Extract from a letter written by a Attributable to the the conduct of the war by and shot down afterward? Is the eve of their departure for China in German soldier to brother. his (This Emperor Himself. under the orders of their commanding Germany. Proof is offered that German that chivalry in battle? It is no longer 1900. On July 27 the kaiser went to letter, now in the possession of the officers, are shown in alt their a secret among the people one hears officials deliberately lied in Bremerhaven to bid farewell to the United States government, was obtained The committee on 'public information, everywhere, that few prisoners are hideousness by official documents German troops. As they were drawn their statements concerning atrocities for this pamphlet from Mr. J. C. appointed by the president, taken they are shot down in small up, ready to embark for China, he addressed 2nd the testimony of eye-witnesses, Grew, formerly secretary to the United committed by the Belgians and groups.' They*say naively: 'We don't and consisting of the secretary of to them a last official message States embassy at Berlin.) as well as by letters written by German allies. That their own soldiers ivere want any unnecessary mouths to feed. from the fatherland. The local newspaper state, secretary of war, secretary of "November 4, 1914. soldiers in the -field. The brazen disgusted by the cruelties practiced Where there is no one to enter complaint, reported his speech in full. In the navy, and George Creel, official ''The battles are everywhere extremely there is no judge.' Is there effort of Emperor William to at the order of high officers of the it appeared this advice and admonition tenacious and bloody. The censor, has made public a mass of then no power in the world which can from the emperor, the commander in cast the odium of the fearful deeds kaiser is shown. Extracts taken Englishmen we hate most and we want put an end to these murders and rescue evidence dealing with German war chief of the army, the head of all Germany on the Belgians is also shown. Quotations to get even with them for once. While from pamphlets issued follow: the victims? Where is Christianity? practices which shows the kaiser given are from documents one now and then sees French prisoners, The Vorwaerts of Berlin, October 22, Where is right? Might is leaders in the field and in command Soldiers Told to Be Merciless. one hardly ever beholds French said: 1914, already made public or in the possession right. |r "As soon as you come to blows with black troops or Englishmen. These "We have already been able to establish of captured points to be directly responsible "A SOLDIER AND A MAN WHO IS of the government at Washington. the enemy he will be beaten No mercy good people are not overlooked by our the falseness of a great number NO BARBARIAN." for the beastliness which will be shown! No prisoners will be infantrymen that sort of people is of assertions which have been made has characterized the operations of This interview was reproduced in Socialists^Opppse System taken! As the Huns, under King Attila, mowed down without mercy. The with great precision and published the "Huns," in the present conflict. made a name for themselves, the Berliner Tageblatt of November losses of the Englishmen must be enormous. everywhere in the press, concerning alleged Many of the Germans, as has been 20, 1914. which is still mighty in traditions and Quotations from the pamphlet follow: There is a desire to wipe them cruelties committed, by the populations already indicated, do not believe the legends today, may the name of German Mr. F. C. Walcott of the Belgian relief out, root and all." of the countries with which reports of the atrocities committed by be so fixed in China by your deeds, commission tells in the Geographical Germany is at war, upon German soldiers the Belgian civilians and refuse to accept For many years leaders in every civilized Urged to Kill Without Pity. that no Chinese shall ever again dare Magazine for May, 1917, of meeting and civilians. We are now in position the system of frightfulness. The nation have been trying to make Extract from another letter to a even to look at a German askance. Gen von Bernhardt: to silence two others of these Vorwaerts, the leading socialist paper, warfare less brutal. The great landmarks brpther: Open the way for Kultur once for all." fantastic stories. which has a very wide circle of readers, "As I walked out, Gen. von Bernhardt in this movement are the Geneva Schleswig, 25, 8 14 (Aug. 25, 1914). Even the imperial councilors seem to has opposed the policy of frightfulness. "The war correspondent of the Berliner came into the room, an expert and Hague conventions. The former "Dear Brother, You will have been shocked at the emperor's Tageblatt spoke, a few weeks All honor to its editors who artilleryman, a professor in one of made rules as to the care of the shortly go to Brussels with your regiment, speech, and efforts were promptly have so courageously opposed the powerful their war colleges. I met him the ago of cigars and cigarettes filled with sick and wounded and established the as you know. Take care to protect made to suppress the circulation of his military authority! Its editorial, powder alleged to have been given out Red Cross. At the first meeting at Geneva, next morning, and he asked me if I yourself against these civilians, exact words. The efforts were only entitled "Our Foes," published August or sold to our soldiers with diabolical had read his book, 'Germany in the in 1864, it was agreed,^and until especially in the villages. Do not let partly successful. A few weeks later, 1914, reads as follows: intent. He even pretended that he had 23, the present war it has been taken for Next War.' anyone come too near. They are very when the letters from the German soldiers "What should one say when even granted, that the wounded, and the doctors seen with his own, eyes hundreds of "I said I had. He said: 'Do you clever, cunning, fellows, these Belgians in China were being published, and nurses who cared for them, this kind of cigarettes. We learn from such an organ as the Deutsches Offizier-Blatt know, my friends nearly ran me out even the women and children in local German papers, the leading an authentic source that this story of expresses its sympathy with would be safe from all attacks by the of the country for that?' They said, are armed and fire their guns. Never socialist newspaper, Vorwaerts, excerpted a demand that 'the beasts' who are enemy. The Hague conventions, cigars and cigarettes is nothing but a 'You have let the cat out of the bag.' go inside a house, especially alone. from them reports of atrocities taken as francs-tireurs should not be drawn up in 1899 and 1907, made additional brazen invention. Stories of soldiers I said, 'No, I have not, because nobody If you take anything to drink make under the title "Letters of the killed, but only wounded so that they rules to soften the usages of war whose eyes are alleged to have been will believe it.' What did you think the inhabitants drink first, and keep at Huns." Many of the leaders in the may then be left to a fate 'which makes and especially to protect noncombatants torn out by francs-tireurs are circulated of it?' a distance from them. The newspapers reichstag felt very keenly the brutality any help impossible?' Or what should and conquered lands. Germany throughout Germany. Not a single "I said, 'General, I did not believe a relate numerous cases in which of the emperor's speech. The obnoxious we say when the Deutsches OffizierBlatt took a prominent part in these meetings, case of this kind has been officially established. word of it when I read it, but I now they have fired on our soldiers whilst word "Huns" had excited almost and with the other nations solemnly states that 'a punitive destruction reel that you did not tell the whole they were drinking. You soldiers must universal condemnation. When the even of whole regions' cannot 'afford pledged her faith to keep all the "It matters little that reports of this truthand the old general looked spread around so much fear of yourselves reichstag met, in November, the speech full recompense for the bones of a rules except one article in the Hague nature bear an appearance of positive actually pleased." that no civilian will venture was openly discussed. Herr Lieber of single murdered Pomeranian grenadier?' regulations. This was article 44, certitude, or are even vouched jfor by to come near you. Remain always in Speaking on August 29, 1914, at the center (Catholic party), after quoting which forbade the conqueror to force Those are the desires of bloodthirsty eye-witnesses. The desire for notoriety, the company of others. I hope that Munster, of the extreme measures the "no mercy" portion of the fanatics and we are thoroughly any of the conquered to give information. the absence of criticism, and personal you have read the newspapers and that which the Germans felt obliged to take speech, added, "There are, alas, in Germany All the#other rules and regulations ashamed of ourselves because it is error play an unfortunate part in the you know how to behave. Above all against the civil population of Belgium, enough who have regarded^ groups she accepted in the most binding possible that there are people among days in which we are living. Every have no compassion for these cutthroats. Gen. von Bissing said: the atrocities told in the letters manner. us who urge such things." nose shot off or simply bound up, Make for them without pity "The innocent must suffer with the wliich have been published as the dutiful But Germany's military leaders had every eye removed, is immediately with the butt-end of your rifle and the "Barbarism," Declares Vorwaerts. guilty. In the repression of response of soldiers so addressed no intention of keeping these solemn a on transformed into a nose or eye torn On the following day, August infamy, human lives cannot be spared, 24, and encouraged." The leader of the promises.. They had been trained away by the francs-tireurs. Already the "Your brother, WILLI." the Vorwaerts returned to the and if isolated houses, flourishing villages, 1914, social democrats, Herr Bebel, spoke along different lines. Their leading Volkszeitung of Cologne has been able, and even entire towns are annihilated, The emperor' gave his sanction to attack in an editorial "Against Barbarism." even more pointedly. Toward the end generals for many years had been urging contrary to the very categorical assertions that is assuredly regrettable, the reports of the brutal acts of the of a two-hour address on the atrocities a policy of frightfulness. In the from Aix-la-Chapelle, to prove but it must not excite ill-timed sentimentality. Belgians in a telegram to President "One might, in the first committed by the German soldiers in middle of the nineteenth century Von that there was no soldier with his eyes All this must .not in our Wilson. plare. possibly believe that such a demand China and on the speech of the emperor, Clausewitz was looked upon as the torn out in the field ambulance of this eyes weigh as much as the life of a "Berlin, via Copenhagen, Sept. 7, 1914. for a bloody vengeance [against he said: greatest military authority, and the town. It was said, also, that people single one of our brave soldiers—the alleged Belgian outrages] emanates 'I feel it my duty, Mr. President, "If Germany wishes to be the bearer methods which he advocated were used wounded in this way were under treatment rigorous accomplishment of duty is the to inform you as th»? most prominent from a single disease-racked brain of civilization to the world, we will by the Prussian army in its successful in the neighborhood of Berlip, emanation of a high kultur, and in but it appears that whole groups representative of principles of humanity, follow without contradiction. But the wars of Consequently because 1866-1871. but whenever inquiries have been made that, the population of the enemy that after taking the French fortress among certain classes who represent ways and means in which this world these wars had been successful, in regard to these reports, their absolute countries can learn a lesson from OUT of Longwy, my troops discovered German kultur want to indulge in orgies the wisdom of Yon Clausewitz' methods policy has been carried on thus far, in falsity has been demonstrated. At army." of barbarism and to devise a there thousands of damdum cartridges which it has .been defined by the emperor seemed to the Prussian army £o be length these reports were concentrated whole system for the purpose of organizing made by special government machinery. fully proved. are not, in our opinion, Officers Encouraged Atrocities. at Gross Lichterfelcie. A newspaper The same kind of ammunition 'a war of revenge.' the way to preserve the world position Policy of Frightfulness. Gen. von Bissing, after his appointment published at noon and widely circulated was found on killed and wounded' of Germany, to gain for Germany the "What of law and custom! Such Now, the essence of Von Clausewitz' as governor general of Belgium, in Berlin printed a few days ago respect of the world." troops and prisoners, also on the British thoughts do not stir a 'great nation.' teachings was that successful war involves repeated in substance the above opinion in large type the Hews that at the troops. You know what terrible Thus in a leading article of the Berliner The consequences of the emperor's the ruthless application of force. to a Dutch journalist. The interview Lazaretto of Lichterfelde alone there wounds and suffering these bullets inflict Neueste Nachrichten, the demand speech Bebel aptly described: In the opening chapter of his master is published in the Dusseldorfei were 'ten German soldiers, only slightly and that their use is strictly forbidden is "made that all the authorities "By it the signal was given, garbed work, "Vora Kriege" ("On War"), he Anzeiger of December i8, 1914. wounded, whose eyes had been wickedly by the established rules of international in Brussels—one, the second burgomaster, in the highest authority of the German says: Irvin S. Cobb states his conclusions torn out.' But to a request for law. I therefore address is generously excepted—should be empire, which must have most weighty "Violence arms itself with the inventions on the responsibility of the higher German information by Comrade- Liebknecht a solemn protest to you against this immediately seized and subjected to consequences, not only for the troops of art and science. Selfimposed command for the atrocities: the following written reply was sent kind of warfar®, which, owing to the trial in order to expiate the wrongs who went to China but also for those restrictions, almost imperceptible by the chief medical officer of the "But I was an eyewitness to crimes methods of our adversaries, has become which, according to fragmentary and who stayed at home. An expedition and hardly worth mentioning, above-mentioned field hospital, dated which, measured by the standards of one of the most barbarous known highly uncertain reports, were said to of revenge so barbarous as this has termed usages of international law, the eighteenth of the month: humanity and civilization, impressed in history. Not only have they employed have been committed by the people. never occurred in the last hundred accompany it without essentially impairing 'Sir: Happily there is no truth me as worse than any individual excess, these atrocious 'weapons, but They demand that the captured city years and not often in history at its power. Now, philanthropic vhatever in these stories. any individual outrage, could the Belgian government has openly encouraged should immediately pay a fine of 500,000,000 least, nothing worse than this has happened souls might easily imagine that 'Yours obediently, ever have been or can. ever be because marks that all stores of the and long since carefully prepared in history, either done by the there is a skillful method of disarming •PROFESSOR RAUTENBERG/ these crimes indubitably were conquered territory be requisitioned the participation of the Belgian Huns, by the Vandals, by Genghis or subduing an enemy without instigated on a wholesale basis by order civil population in the fighting. The German Soldiers Protested. without paying the inhabitants a single Khan, by Tamerlane, or even by Tilly causing too much bloodshed, and that of officers of rank, and must have for them." atrocities committed even by women Thus the teachings of the German penny when he sacked Magdeburg." this is the true tendency of the art of been carried out under their personal War Book and of the German apostles and priests in this guerrilla warfare, war. However plausible this may appear, Vorwaerts in Protest. Atrocities in China. S supervision,% direction, and approval. of frightfulness, suspicion and hatred, also on wounded soldiers, medical staff still it is an error which must be These atrocities in China or "Letters Three years later, August 26, 1917, "Taking the physical evidence offered and nurses, doctors killed, hospitals had now begun to bear their natural destroyed for in such dangerous of the Huns" continued to be published the Vorwaerts quoted the following before our own eyes, and buttressing fruit. But the voice of protest was attacked by rifle fire, were such that things as war, the errors which proceed in the Vorwaerts for several years and passage from the Deutsche Tageszeitung: it with the statements made to us, not entirely silent. "A considerable my generals finally were compelled to from a spirit of 'good-naturedness' appeared intermittently in the debates not only by natives, but German soldiers number of letters by German soldiers take the most drastic measures in order are precisely the worst. As the of the reichstag as late as At 1906. "We have a ring of politicians who who were shocked by the -German and German officers, we could to punish the guilty and to frighten use of physical force to the utmost extent that time the socialist, Herr Kunert, hold that might makes right (Machtpolitiker), reach but one conclusion, which was atrocities were sent to Ambassador the bloodthirsty population from by no means excludes the cooperation reviewing the procedure in a trial of who despise the forces of that here, in such and such a place, Gerard, because he was the representative continuing their work of vile murder of the intelligence, it follows which he had been the victim in the the inner life and believe that they those in command had said to the of the United States, the leading and horror. Some villages and even that he who uses force ruthlessly, without previous summer, stated that he had neutral nation. The three letters must eliminate all ethical points of troops: 'Spare this town and these the old town of Loewen (Louvain), regard to bloodshed, must obtain offered to prove "that German soldiers which follow, in translation, were received view from foreign and social people.' And there they had said: excepting the fine hotel de ville, had a superiority, if his enemy does not in China had engaged in wanton and by the American ambassador politics. For them, Germany of the •Waste-this town and shoot these people.* to be destroyed in self-defense, and so use it." brutal ravaging that plunder, pillage,* from German soldiers. present and of the future is the country And here the troops had discriminate^ for the protection of my, troops. My In 1877-78, in the course of a series extortion, robbery, as well as rape and Here is the protest of a German soldier, of the Krupps and Borsigs, of the spared, and there they had indiscriminately heart bleeds when I see that such of articles upon "Military Necessity sexual abuses of the worst kind, had ah eye-witness of the slaughter of Zeppelins and the U-boats. Any idea wasted, in exact accordance measures have become unavoidable and Humanity," General von Hartmann occurred on a very large scale and that Russian soldiers in the Masurian lakes of a connection between politics and with the word of their superiors."—Irvin and when I think of the numerous innocent wrote, in the same spirit as Von Clausewitz: German soldiers had participated in Cobb, Speaking of Prussians, and swamps: morals is rejected and any reference people who lose their home and thern." He had not been given an opportunity "It was frightful, heart-rending, as to the right of a moral method of consideration New York, 1917, pp. 32-34. property as a consequence of the barbarous "The enemy state must not be spared to prove his allegations, but is ridiculed as delusion and these masses of human beings were behavior of those criminals. Hoodwinked German People. the want and wretchedness of war had been sentenced to prison for three driven to destruction. Above the terrible sentimentality." Signed. William, Emperor and King.' These ideasK then, were systematically these are particularly useful in shattering months for assailing the honor of the thunder of the cannon could be "GERARD, Berlin." The German officers were provided impressed upon the military and its energy and subduing its will." "whole German army.': The outrageousness heard the heart-rending cries of the with the forms to be used in terrorizing Official classes. It was necessary, Lorenz Muller in the German Catholic "Individual persons may be harshly of this sentence was made Russians: 'O Prussians! O Prussians!' tha conquered people. The common however, to work upon the minds of Review, Der Feis, February, 1915, dealt with when an example is made clear by the revelations, made in% the —but there was no mercy. Our captain soldiers were provided with the German people, so that they might made the following statement in regard of them, intended to serve as a warning. reichstag shortly afterwards, of similar had ordered: 'The whole lot must die phrase books which would enable them lend themselves to the inhuman policies to the emperor's telegram: Whenever a national war atrocities committed by German so rapid fire.' As I have heard, five to impose their will upon the terrified advocated by the military leaders. "Officially no instance ha§ been breaks out, terrorism becomes a necessary officials and soldiers in Africa in the men and one officer on our side went people. Minister Brand Whitlock in To do this was difficult, for, as has proven of persons having fired with military principle.,r "It is a campaign against the Hereros. mad from these heart-rending cries. hisNreport to the state department on been shown often, many of the civilian the help of priests from the towers of gratuitous illusion to suppose that For the guidance of the officers in But most of my comrades and the officers September 12, 1917, writes: leaders of public opinion, time and modern war does not demand far more churches. All that has been made case the-Inhabitants of conquered territory joked as the unarmed and helpless "The German soldiers were provided again, expressed their, horror of the brutality, far more violence, and an known up to the present, and that has should take up arms against the Russians shrieked for mercy while new spirit which w&s animating the with phrase books giving alternate been made the object of inquiry concerning action far more general than was formerly German army, the "German War they were being suffocated in the military' authorities. The reichstag translation in German and French of the case." alleged atrocities attributed to Book" quotes with approval the letter swamps and shot down. The order debates give ample evidence of this, such sentences as: In 1881 Von Moltke, who had been Catholic priests during this war, has Napoleon sent to bis brother Joseph: was: 'Close up and at it harder!' For and the task of the military leaders commander in chief of the Prussian been shown to be false and altogether 'Hands up.' (It is the very first S "The security of your dominion depends days afterwards those heart-rending would'nave been still more difficult if army in the Franco-Prussian war, imaginary, without any exception. Our sentence in the book.) declared on how you behave in the conquered yells followed me and I dare not think the reichstag had any real power. emperor telegraphed to the president 'Carry out all the furniture. province. Burn down a dozen (See War Information Series No. 3, of them or I shall go mad. There is no "Perpetual peace is a dream and not 'I am thirsty. Bring me some beergin, of the United Slates of America that places which are not willing to submit God, there is no morality and no ethiss even a beautiful dream. War is an element "The Government of Germany see even women and priests had committed rum. themselves. Of 'bourse, not until any more. There are no human beings in the order of the world established also Gerard's *My Four Years in Germany," atrocities during this guerrilla warfare '"You have to supply a barrel voi you have first looted them my soldiers any more, but only beasts. Down with by God. By it the most noble chapter 2.) wounded soldiers, doctors and wiine and a keg of beer. on must not be allowed to go a^ay virtues of man are developed, courage militarism. The military authorities ahd those nurses attached to the field ambulances. 'Lead me to th* wealthiest inhabit with their hands »empty. Have three "If you are a truth-loving man, and renunciation, fidelity to duty and in sympathy with them have done all How this telegram can be reconciled tants of this village. have Qrders to I to six persons hhnged in every village the spirit of sacrifice—the soldier gives please receive these lines from a common In their power to stimulate a hatred of sr with the fact stated above we requisition several barrels of wine. which has joined the revolt pay no §& bis life. Without war, the world would Prussian soldier." other peoples in the minds of the Germans. shall not be able to learn until after 'Show us the way to If yon respect to the cossack" (that 1% to ^degenerate and lose itself in material* Following is the testimony of anotbei a campaign of education be- war." lead us astray, yon will be shot.'" Members of the clergy). mss® ISfli MS fesa i^^Jt skat