New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-15

is just the contrary" il now we'll
known. the fact thus tceretly con-
veyed by the soldiers letter seems to
be confirmed by the "Berliner Tage,
blatt," which informs its readers that
French soldiers are being put to hard
labor so as to be n source OF revenue
70 the country which must feed them.
This is a direct infringement of the
rules concerning prisoners laid down
by the Hague convention of 1907,
ftipulating that prisoners of war must
be humsnely treated. All their be-
longings. with the exception OF arms,
must remain their property. All can
be made 20 work, except officers, ac-
cording to their fitness and without
excess, but may not be employed for
any work concerning war operations
Moreover, they must be paid Just the
same rs soldiers Of the state, and the
money thus earned given them 30
spend as they like for the bettcrment
of their condition.
When the "Berliner Tageblatt" be-
comes indignant over the fact that
Germany must spend money on food
and shelter for prisoners of war it
forgets that by general agreement all
civilized nations must provide for war
prisoners exactly as they do for their
own soldiers. The German officers OBJ
viously disregard these obligations
when they make French and English
prisoners dig trenches on the battle
field and force them to remain in these
trenches to deceive their brothers,
who, believing the place occupied by
friends, run unsuspectingly into the
trap laid for them.
And they obviously disregard their
obligations when they capture doctors
and nurses in the exercise Of their
duty and treat them with outrageous
brutality. l have evidence Of this
from a French army surgeon, ranking
as majcr of the second class.
eve were made prisoners he said,
ain Morhange by Prussians of the
Ninetieth and Ninety-ninth Infantry
regiments with my attendants and
the wounded. We who had stayed be-
hind to nurse the wounded were taken
to q German fortress and were most
shamefully handled. They made us
walk with our hands above our heads
while they kicked and struck us with
the butt ends Of their guns. During
a day of detention all the nOurishment
we had was greasy water called soup.
We were threatened continually. Some
Of the French wounded accused Of
uSlUk NIt cAAdM IiuAAANSENo " NiiN wv
man soldiers were shot. My attend
ants and ! were several times lined
up against d wall and guns were lev
elled nj US for several minutes, then
without explanations we we're led
back to our quarters. We were saved
several times by the Intervention OF
q German doctor.
Accuses German Red Cross.
l.. - nh
ladies of the German Red Cross stole
our money under the pretence that
they would bring US food, which we
never saw. Finally, three Of US were
sent to Switzerland in train and had
to sit with our hands or our laps. Any
attempt to put them in our pockets,
however empty after the feelings OF
our tormentors, would mean instanta-
neous death, we were warned At last
we reached Switzerland and from
there France"
In comparison to this we might read
this letter sent by wounded German
soldier to the "Neuestcn N2chrichten"
Of Leipsic from the temporary hos
pital in Bisrritz:
81 am a subscriber 70 YOUR paper.
To-day ] am in the war as q sergeant.
Kindly publish the following: Before
nomination we had been TOLD IN Ter
many that the French would treat
prisoners badly. 1t is not so. was
made prisoner. after being seriously
wounded in tho left thigh by Il shell.
"OuV enemies had no reason TO treat
as well Our officer had put up a white
handkerchief tc signify that tho com
rany would surrender. and nevertheless
ordered us o. fire when the French
neGred. ; vas taken ND M brotherly
fashion and carefully carried a dis
lance Of several kilometres to an an,
hulance. Now ! am in Biarritz with
thirty other Germans in a beautiful
wards, with clean beds, nursed by
ladies in white costume who are most
kindly and careful, Our food is of
fine quality and plentiful. Once in
a while ! receive cigarette. The doc
tors do all in their power TO restore
our health and spare us suffering. As
the sanitary service is under one con.
troll, suppose all other hospitals are
run in the same spirit.
"That is why ! beg all Germans
nursing wounded N our country 70
treat the French well and make no
difference between them and our own
soldiers, for the Frenchmen deserve
it,"
If only we. wives. mothers ard sis
tiers. could think this advice would be
followed. how much easier our task
Of being courageous would be,