The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-10-01
SOME FACTS OF THE WAR

member the lecture given in the institution audi
forum on Monday evening, Sept %, 1914, re-
gardng the European situation as seen by an eye
witness, Mr. HILL resident of Oak Park, who
gave his audience something to ponder for
the present time and think of in the future. The
eloquent speaker depicted, among other things of
personal experiences the horrors of the warning
nations as practiced on each other as we'll as the
brutal measures with which the different nations
deal with the women and children in the seat of
this conflict. And how different are the reports
of these bloodshed battles as compared with the
actual facts-of which the American people are
ignorant and can only hazard mere trfing guess
than when seen by one who in the midst of
all this helish slaughter of humanity? And yet
the speaker assured his audience that the had
only started; and he, like thousands of others,
could not even hazard guess to what the out
come would be; but was fully convinced that the
end of this struggle would be far distant.
Young men, old men, all called to the front to
participate in this war and defend their country as
best they can regardless of consequences; and
women and children to take of the grain fields
while the father husband, brother or 60 out
to slaughter human lives much the same way the
huntsman shoots the game OF the woods. War
may be necessary, but in such as this is at
present and may become before peace is establish
ed, it is almost more than human imagination
conceive. That any civilized nation should use the
measures stated by the lecture, is almost if not
positive proof, that barbarism still exists in the
supposed-to-be enlightened countries. What could
be more outrageous and downright evidence of
barbarism than the action of the German soldiers
in expressing their thanks by deliberately cutting
off woman's after she had prepared them
meal? Another horror of this war, when it first
broke out, was the measure resorted to in the way
of throwing blazing petroleum on the soldiers as
they marched through the streets. Many of the
soldiers were burned to death as result from
such cowardly acts of the people.
These are several of the many atrocities prac-
ticed by the nations at war; and the least of
these in practice is enlightened Germany, of
whose kindness and many courtesies shown to
prisoners and others we have read about from day
to day in our daily papers. Other European ma
tons in this struggle may be doing similar things
but we have not been informed of it by anyone
who has been eyewitness to such scenes as told
about the German soldiers.
Germany, the lecturer told his audience, knows
where all her soldiers at all stages of the game
and that she takes chances whatever Mr..
Hill also said that several of his party were arrest
tered by the officers Of the Germany army. They
were then marched to hotel by four Germans
who kept their bayOnets close to their prisoners
bodies. Any signs of escape would have meant
instant death to them. If the persons so arrested
the speaker said were of French nationality or of
nationality opposing the Germans they were
made prisoners shot on moments notice. The
speaker also told his audience that he saw twelve
men taken from train and backed against wall
and shot without fair trial. While they NAV
have been spies they should also have had at least
fair chance to have word to say. We know
that in warfare many precautions are necessary
and the nation taking such precautions is heralded
as one of great wisdom and discretion but this
merely shows heads l win and tails YOU lose
when not backed up by square dealing.
Another phase of the German army was dwelt
upon by the lecturer which is worthy of note here.
is the fact that she has the warning instinct drilled
into her army so thoroughly that on an instant
notice she had called together eleven million strong
who were ready for this war of all wars now 90
ing on necessarily from day to day. That she has
a strong defense for purpose can only be
realized by seeing for yourselves as l have seen.
said Mr.. Hill.
The speaker said that he and his party had all
kinds of experiences in getting transportation
tickets They were stopped every now and then
in order to make known their Identity give their
age, etc., to officers of the German army as we'll as
occasionally hauled before the attorney general to