Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1914-09-24

was susceptible OF Investigation have
found either that the outrage was a
Pigment of the Belgian mind or that
1t was more than half excused by cir
cumstances.
THE prevalence OF the Belgian prac
tlce of sniping from the houses was
perhaps indicated by the warning OF
the German officer who acted as guard
for Ave American correspondents. in
GLIDING myself, who we're being taken |
as prisoners from Beaumont to Aachen |
in an army train. We were advised to |
lie down on the floor of the car as the |
Belgian snipers would shoot at us from |
the houses. But there was no firing.
This, OF course, is not q brief for
the German army; it is an account OF
German conduct as 1t appeared to an
impartial observer who had the rather
extraordinary opportunity Of travelling
for days with the German columns,
over distance of more than hun
dred miles through dozen important
| cities and towns.
Sometimes l was near enough to
the front to see the white artillery
smoke squirt into clouds along the
horizon and hear the double detona-
lions which came from artillery at
short range. At other times trailed
behind through the desolate waste
which a victorious army leaves be-
hind 1t.
Pay All and Tip Well.
ION the contrary, | witnessed nu-
merous 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.
Along the road when a German officer
or soldier entered Belgian house for
food or shelter, 1t 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 puncui-
iously considerate and polite to wom-
en- and children. apologizing for the
discomfort they were causing. Upon
leaving house where they have been
given shelter, have seen them shake
hands with the concierge, peasant
, woman, or In some cases with the
gentlewoman of a Belgian villa, as
pleasantly as If they we're bidding
adieu to their hostess at weekend
house party.
, so many instances of this sort are
, at hand that a recital of them would
/. be tedious.
= Naturally inclined to be gruff will
/. their soldiers, the German officers al
a ways gave the French prisoners {
, pleasant word, and treated them will
a every consideration. Not single ex
: ception to this civility toward prison
v ers has come to my attention.
"A French lieutenant and two Eng
n lish officers travelled with us In tn
q prison train from Beaumont 4
Z Aachen, hating journey which too
+ over thirty-six hours. Tie train wa
:. crowded with German wounded an
q French and English prisoners. an
there was nothing to eat or drlnl
:. except few fragments of rye brea,
N hard as stone, and a little liqui
"a compound of chicory, which in Be
n. GUM masquerades under the name {
- coffee. Since there was not enoug
n even OF this disheartening fare to &
i. around, German officers went withol
a. food so that the prisoners might be fe'
ia Aid OWears of Cafe.
'In a little cafe in Beaumont, col
cierge and madame had fed befoI
g. the approach OF the soldiers and aba
IL doned their business. Two Officer
r. found them in hiding. brought the
lie back, and in day they had taken
n more money than in any previo'
le week in their career.
IS These incidents could be indefinit
n " prolonged, but they would only {
d. fer additional support to point tn
ly | think l have already established
the universal kindness OF Germf
err soldiers as | have observed them.
v, 81 have seen perhaps half a dos
H. cases OF drunkenness in observiI
re nearly 100000 soldiers. and the
to few were only good.naturedly mau
In lin. In Beaumont while was detain'
y. for "a hours in the small cafe pr
~ viously mentioned, with an arm,
st guard at the door, although specifics
n ly told that I was not an ordina
,r- prisoner, staggering petty officer
i'd some sort, lunged toward me al
ir- showed me the sharp convincing ed
n OF his sword, insisting that | run n
up hand across 1t.
Dr. Warned to Avoid Drinking.
N, German discipline and Germ
vs. training seem to have put into d
German soldier an exemplary behavi
which is nothing less than remarkab
le- Before I fell asleep on the floor of Z
I'M Beaumont cafe, with two German 8
~. diers' guns slanting almost over n
In | heard the petty officer who was
he charge of us, giving instructions
OF the guards, which included the sta
no ment that any one of us who stir
RS outside the door should be shot. TIL