Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-09-22

has been called forth throughout the
world" writes w. Scheuermann,
correspondent of several German
newspapers who accompanies the Ger
man general staff, "by the so-called
cruelty with which the Germans are
carrying on this war.
81 have spent two days in the worst
Tranc-Tiereur regions of Belgium and
France. My first impressions of the
horrors of war were obtained at Bat
sice, where fighting between Franc
Tiereur and our soldiers went on for
days. Instead of a flourishing village
one sees there today charred ruins
stretching along the highway for a
mile.
II passed through village that was
quite burnt out, where only a few
German landwehr soldiers were stand
ing guard-no other living beings Wis.,
. sble anywhere. But when / came to the
doorway of house that had fallen in,
] saw in what had probably been the
living room a white-haired woman
with a kitchen knife raking in the de-
cris. / called to her. She did not hear
me. Her face was like a gray stone
and her eyes fixed as in death, she
dug as If she was expecting to fino
something under the fallen bricks. In
. front garden, which had been scorch-
ed by the flames, woman in a black
dress was crouching and weeping. AT
one place a blue enameled child's bed
stead peered out of the smoking de-
bris, still filed with its scorching mat
tress and pillows. Whoever has child
at home in its snowwhite bed!
But a curse upon those who caused
all this misery! For there is no pun
! ishment in this world sufficient to
! atone for their evil deed And when
/, they now denounced our brave war
riors as the cause of this desolation,
this latter SANDER, does not weigh
much in comparison with what they
actually did. Our men marched into
> the country of the enemy with the
same order and discipline that they
maiatained on the drill ground. Where
ever we came we guaranteed to the
inhabitants security for life and prop
erty; we are waging war with the ar
mics of the enemy, not with civilians.
In Battice. the German proclamation
promising the Belgians peace and the
integrity of their territory was still
seen on the walls of the burnt houses.
Now what happened in Battice.
Clermunt and other Belgian places was,
with singular similarity. as follows:
"Thc inhabitants let the Germans
march in. received them with cringing
friendliness, and then fell upon them
at night. 1t goes without saying-for
mere seif-preservation demanded it
that every murdered German was
avenged. Where the murderers could
be caught they were brought before
: court martial; and If their guilt was
evident they were shot or hanged.
All this was done in perfect or
der. How far the self-control of our
sroops extends was proved to me by
an example only day before yesterday
At the entrance to the French fort
ress Of Longwy, just captured / saw
German soldiers bringing in troop
Of franc tireurs and among them a
few common thieves.
What did these men doT demand
ed an of1icer. They put on Red Cross
scarfs, then went upon the battlefield
and mutilated our wounded. We
caught them in the act was the re-
Fly. why didn't you beat the scoun-
drels to death at once
We dare not do that. They must
be brought before a court martial
THE readers knew what was the
character Of this mutilation. The eyes
of our wounded men, lying helpless
In their pain upon the battlefield, were
cut out with knives. Old and young
men and women. were caught as hy-
enas OF the battlefield; and they re-
ceived their reward. At Viz, L.
year-old girl had to be shot because
she was caught in the act of mutilat-
ing our wounded. / should like to
know what other people in the world
possess the self -restraint, in the pres
ence of such shameful crimes, to wal
and bring the criminals before a regu-
lar court
Beyond all doubt the franc-treur war
fare against US was organized. Otherwis,
It would be impossible TO explain the uni
form character of the mutilations, at
jackson field hospitals. in the attacks il
villages and cities the same tactics wer
repeated over and over again.
In Herbe. Fleron and other village
there are houses still standing between
other. .as. zsrs burned down: On the!