Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-09-22
KhE GERMAN ATROCITIES.

Since the outbreak OF tno 6io"
European war, charges OF atrocitles
have heen flying back and forth from
one shAe to the other and because
most or the available news comes Dy
way Of E.ondon and Paris, 1t Is natural
that tho majority of the tales OF
brutality should reflect on the enc
mics Of ,those two countries. Tne
Germansl were painted in very blacK
terms. sorue Of the charges alleged 10
have been committed by them upon
innocent Belgian women and cnllaren'
~ true would have stamped them as
the veriestt brutes.
Because THE Courier did not DE-
lieye the taAes were true to any ex-
tent. this paper has consistently re,
fused to print accounts Of the alleged
atrocities. and this stand Is shown py
late Developments to have been well
taken. Five American newspaper cor,
respondents, two OF them from Tue
Chicago Tribune, spent many days ~.
vestigating the: charges mace asalns.
the German sohiery and their account
was printed IN, full THURSDAY III
the Chicago Tribune and was maue
mart Of the morning Associated Press
news. It can be considered the most
authentic report, on the subject. tnat
America has as yet received. :,
rhev make it, clear, once for all
that the dreadful, atrocities charged TO
the Germans are, not based on facts.
Thev show conclusively that the Ger
mans, Of the Father1and are like the
Germans of America, men that any
700, could we'll afford to brag about.
Thavi concede that the German army
n .its.march through Belgium caused
much Smisery but deny that the rules
~ var or of humanity, or OF man
hond, were violated. The Germans
weratnot lenient with civilians who
engaged in ''sniping," Cfring; on the
tronns from concealment) n, ana ID the
nnnishment was severe. TOWNS We're
b,rrned where people undertook TO op.
noze the progress Of the invaders and
asniners' were executed as rapidly as
caught but as to old men being TOT
tured, children Drained and women
outraged. the correspondents assert
on their word as men. that their lives
tieations among the Belgians tneI-
selves have failed to show single
case that would verify the charges
made against them by the opposition.
On the contrary, the correspondents
recite numerous instances tending 70
sbow that the kaiser's army has oeen
. model for invading armies.
Charges OF atrocities have been
made against the French and the Eng
lish Aeoldiers who are fighting the Ger
manAhosts. The Courier believes tnat
thesal charges are just as absurd as
thosel against the Germans. 1t wouio
be painful, indeed, If It were possible
~ beneve that German men, Engllsn
memoir French men, could even In the
heat OF battle forget entirely that
aboveI all they are MEN. The Ger
mansAand the English and the french
that Vie know are not the stamp tnat
we could conceive committing the at
rocitiest charged to them.
Unfortunately there are always a
few black sheep who in disgracing
themselves mar the regulations OF all
near them. There are doubtless sol
diers I'M the German army and In the
armies Of the allies who would 40
things to helpless victims that no de-
cent manswould do but it is safe to as
sume that these few are as much de-
snised by their fellows as they are by
the rest of humanity and that punish
ment for any foul deeds committed by
them would not have to wait on the
action of the other side but would be
melted out in full by their own SELF
respecting comrades.