The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-09-24

cu0stAncos-
The prevalenes Of the Belgian psoe-
ties of sniping froa ths houses vae
perhaps Indicated BY IL warning o.
the German o8cer Who aeted ~ gsafS
for ave American eorrssDoaAents. NJ
GLIDING myself, vho we're being takso
a. prisoners froa Bsauaaoet to AAehsa
In IN army train. We we're advises 70
lie down % the 1oor Of ths car - ~
Belgian snipers would shoot at ~ mon
the houses. But thsts vas 10 aFins.
This. Of cosrss. y not . brief toe
the German army; II 10 IN account q
German conduct - 1t appeared To -
impartial observer Who had the rsfhse
extraordinary opportunity Of travelling
for days with the German colunns.
over . distance Of more than hse-
dred miles through . dossa important
cities and towns.
Sometimes I was near seough -
the front to So the white artillery
smoke spurt into clouds along the
horison and hear the double detona-
tioos which came from artillery e
short range. At other times trailsd
behind through the desolats waste
which . victorious army leaves ~
hind II.
Pay Al and vip Well.
On the contrary. I witnessed nu'
merous cases of the most careful cour.
tesy on the part Of German soldiers.
In Brussels they not only DAid their
cafe bills. but tipped generously.
Along the road. when . German ofhcer
or soldier entered . Belgian house for
food or shelter. II was not with . de-
mand but . request. In spite OF the
confusion and errors which arose from
a strange tongue there was almost no
friction OF any sort.
THE German soldiers were punctil-
iously considerate and polite to wom'
en- and children. apolOgizing for the
discomfort they we're causing. Upon
leaving house where they haye been
given shelter, have seen them shake
hands with the concierge. peasant
woman, or in some cases with the
gentlewoman Of . Belgian villa, a.
pleasantly as II they were bidding
adieu to their hostess at weekend
house party.
80 many instances of this sort are
at hand that Q recital of them would
be tedious.
Naturally inclined to be gru6 With
their soldiers. the German officers aI
ways gave the French prisoners
pleasant word, and treated them will
every consideration. Not single eI
ception to this civility toward prison.
ers has come to my attention.
"A French lieutenant and two Eng
lish officers travelled with us in thS
prison train from Beaumont to
Aachen, 4 halting Journey which tool
over thirty-six hours. The train wal
crowded with German wounded and
French and English prisoners, and
there was nothing to eat or drink
except few fragments Of rye bread
hard as a stone. and little liquid
compound of chicory. which in Bel
GUM masquerades under the name o
coffee. Since there was not enough
around, German officers went without
food SO that the prisoners might be fed
Aid Owners Of Cafe.
I'm little cafe In Beaumont, con
cierge and madame had fed befor
the approach of the soldiers and aban
doned their business. Two ofhcer.
found them in hiding, brought then
back. and in a day they had taken ir
more money than in. any previouf
week in their career.
These incidents could be indefinite
ly prolonged. but they would only Of
fer additional support to point that
think ! have already established
the universal kindness Of German
soldiers as I have observed them.
Il have seen perhaps half dozen
cases of drunkenness In observing
nearly 100000 soldiers. and these
few were only good-naturedly maud
lin. In Beaumont while was detained
for "a hours in the small cafe pre-
viously mentioned, with IN armed
guard at the door, although speciflcal
ly told that I was not an ordinary
prisoner. staggering petty officer Of
some sort, lunged toward me and
showed me the sharp convincing edge
Of his sword, insisting that I run my
hand across It.
Warned to Avoid Drinking.
German discipline and German
training seem to have put into the
German soldier an exemplary behavior
which is nothing less than remarkable.
Before fell asleep on the floor of the
Beaumont cafe, with two German sol
diers' guns slanting almost over me-
heard the petty officer who was In
charge of us. giving instructions to
the guards, which included the state
ment that any one of US who stirred
outside the door should be shot Then
he counseled them, almost in father.
ly way to drink only moderately, stat
ing that II they became drunk he
would recommend a sentence ~ tx