Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-04-05
THE GENTLE GERMAN.
His Conduct in 1870 Towards His Enemy.
ln5uInnAnnunnlnnnruulnrn OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


The protests In which non-oiiicial
Germany Is INDUCING, with 80 much
unnecessary heat, against the supposed
harbarism OF the British methods Of
making war IN South Africa, would be
yidloulous were there not danger Of
such talk adding fuel to the prevalent
DANES Of evaporation against this
country In Germany. To show how "
logical II Is for Germans to adopt their
present attitude in view Of their own
seventies in 1870 and 10 prove how
short Is the memory Of the German
veterans who are now denouncIng Mr..
Chamberlain and Lord Kitchener, !
shall give some authentic examples Of
the action OF the German troops during
the war with France.
such examples might be multiplied
TO almost any extent, but | shall for
the most part choose instances noted
by observers with the German army,
and who We're therefore, II may be
safely presumed, inclined to make out
the hest case possible for the Germans.
shall also 60 TO German military au-
thoritIes, and TO the orders issued by
the German staff, In each case giving
our reference.
WHY FRENCHMEN WERE SHOT.
IN the later period OF the war the
Germans claimed the right, though
they ala not always enforce Il, TO shoot
all Frenchmen found bearing arms.
proylded these Frenchmen we're not I'm
a Uniform which could be easily dis
carded. They refused 10 recognize SASH
Is and badges as sufficient uniform,
And this though they had in 1918 issued
instructions to their own Landsturm,
during the struggle with Napoleon, TO
this effect; ''The object Of the Land
sturm Is to arrest the march OF the
enemy. a special uniform
for them is not allowed. because this
would betray the wearer and render
him more liable TO pursuit and capture
by the enemy" (Seclon 80, Field Or
ders. 1879
The honest German soldier" says
Colonel Won Widdern ("Franco-G German
war; tjG) was all the more embit-
tered by this behavior guerrilla tao-
tlcs) OF the Franc-Tireurs and National
Guards, because they were wont at
need hastily to assume the appearance
OF inOlfenseive peasants by throwing
away and hiding their arms and get
ting rid Of the badges Of military SER
vice. That under such circumstances
the Germans gave short shrlft TO such
fellows caught d-handed viii be
thought only reasonable. even though
It II quite possible that the innocent
suffered al times. The German author-
ties had nothing for II but TO punish
the parishes where outrages occurred
against German soldiers, OF where the
railways and telegraphs had been de-
stroyed by leyying money contribu-
tons or by burning down one or two
homesteads, Such punishments and the
shooting OF French civilians taken with
arms in their hands az last led the
inhabitants themselves TO attempt to
stop these enterprises"
FINING AND FARM MOURNING.
Now for some instances OF this |
shooting and burning Near Launois |
the same authority page 552) states |
that German convoy was attacked by |
a body OF Frano-Tireurs in blouses. |
Seventeen vehicles were captured BY |
the French, who went on 10 derail q |
military train. For this the farm which !
was the scene OF the fighting was brunt |
down a fine OF GiOO was levied upon
The hamlet and six prisoners were shot.
On ST, Quentin, the project Of which
dared 10 oppose a small body of Ger
man troops, a fine OF G3600O was le-
We'd. Near Chestres the Germans were
opposed by a small force OF French r.
regulars outside the village There was
nothing whatever TO show that the
people Of the village had anything 10
do with the affair. Nevertheless, our
German author tells us that the Ger
mans entered wrathfully,
made the burgomaster and fourteen
other inhabitants prisoners, and burnt
down several homesteads," page 554)
AZ Marcilly the French irreguars pun
lshed the Germans severely In a
Straightforward fight. The Germans
responded by shooting seven of the
who always retreated.
An equal number OF the inhabitants al
70 were taken arms In hand and put 10
death' A few days later the villages
Of Contains and Maroilly were con-
signed to the flames. page $500 AS
The guerrillas persistently cut the rail-
ways, according TO the same German |
author, French citizens were accom-
on the locomotives OF the mill
tary trains and treated as hostages
IN the constant reprisals and punish
nents the colonel admits, with the hon
ssty Of a soldier, that death was often
inflicted upon innocent persons page
,66)
TERRIBLE PROCLAMATIoNS.
l will now give few specimens OF
he orders issued by the German stan,
Illustrating the treatment Of the con-
luered:
Nancy, Jan, %, 1871.
His Majesty the King Of Prussia,
ierman emperor, because OF the de-
truction Of the bridge OF Fontenoy,
asst Of Toul orders:
The neighboring district will pay n
Inc Of G4O0O0O. This is to be brought
o the knowledge OF the public noting
hat the application Of the fine will be
ubsequently indicated, and that the
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