The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-09-17

lished themselves In the church.
where they installed q machine gun.
They proceeded to greet the Germans
with deadly fire.
Fired on Comrades.
"The Belgians say that part OF the
German army. mistaking one of their
own retiring divisions for the enemy.
opened fire upon them, whereupon,
deluded into thinking this an assault
by Belgian civilians. the Germans
razed the whole city.
II have not been able to acguirc
any direct evidence in regard to the
last two instances, but the explanation
generally credited by disinterested
persons is that the Belgians who had
laid down their arms according to the
burgomaster's proclamation on the
entrance of the enemy, took them up
again when 1t looked as IL the Ger
mans were retreating from the town.
and opened fire from their windows
upon a retiring German train.
THE most authoritative German
denial os German offences comes from
Major General Thaddeus Won Jarotz-
SKY, military governor of Brussels.
who informed me that in numerous
cases he had been receiyed with
pretense Of iriondlines3 by Belgian
civilians who later fired upon the
German soldiers from windows and
from between the roof tiles. This was
! done after declaration of surrender
by the burgomaster and a proclama-
tion, warning the citizens against any
show OF resistance.
"In such violations of the rules of
war, the general said, he punished the
offenders by burning the house from
which the shots were fired.
'In everv case of reported outrage
or reprisal which was snsceptible of
investigation. / have found either that
the outrage was figment OF the Bel
gian mind or that 1t was more than
half excused by circumstances
''The prevalence of the Belgian
practice OF sniping from the house
was perhaps indicated by the warning
of the German officer who acted as
guard for five American correspond
ents including myself, who. were be-
ing taken as prisoners from Beau
mont to Aachen in an army train. We
were advised &c lie iotsii ofi sha fio0r
iof the car as the Belgian snipers
would shoot at us from the houses.
But there was no firing.
This. or course, is not brief tor
the German army; 1t is an account OF
German conduct as it1appeared to an
impartial observer who had the rather
extra ordinary opportunity of travel
ing for days with the German col
umns. over distance OF moro than a
hundred miles through a dozen i'm
portant cities and towns.
Was Near to Battles.
Sometimes 1 was near enough to
ltlle' front to see the white artillery
smoke squirt into clouds along the
horizon and hear the double detona-
tions which came from artillery at
short range. At other times trailed
behind through the desolate waste
which victorious army leaves behind
It. But the waste was the inevitable
footprint of war, marking the most
utter drta.iness,. misery and despair,
but not with hint Of savagery, or
wanton butchery of excess,
"On the contrary, Witnessed num-
erous cases OF the most careful cour-
tesy on the part of German soldiers.
In Brussels they not only paid their
cafe bills, but tipped generously,
Ger or soldier entered Belgian house
lOL IOO0 Ol ohCttOipstlt N0n -. XII q
demand. but request. .
"The German soldiers wcie. pune
tilousiy considerate and polite to wo-
men and children. apologizing for the
discomfort they were causing.
Were Very. ConsideTafe.
"a French lieutenant and two Eng
fish officers travelled with us in the
prison train from Beaumont to
Aachen, a halting journey which took
SO hours. Tho train was crowded
with .erman wounded and French and
EAgliah prisoners, crd there was
nothing TO eai or drinh -z15pt a few
fragments OF rice bread. hard as a
stone and little liquid compound of
chicory. which in Belgium Is called
coffee. Since there was not enough
even OF this disheartening fare to go
around, German officers went without
food so that the prisoners might be
fed"
ain Beaumont while was detained
for "a hours in q small cafe with an
armed guard at the door, although spe-
officially told that was not an ordi-
mary prisoner, a staggering petit of
lficer lunged toward me and showed
me the sharp. convincing edge of his
sword, insisting that run my hand
across It., Meanwhile he niuttered to
other soldiers in the. room tina: the
other correspondents and were En-
glish spits.a But this was my only
ldisagreeable experience OF this sort
Gives Coed Advice
German discipline and German
training seem to have bred into Ger
man soleiers an exemplary behavior. !.
-
Before ] fell asleep on the floor of
Efhe Beaumoflt cafe with tygSl Gernaf