Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1914-10-01
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.

po"oent of the Chicago Newp.
conoon-Moving stories OF the ruin
ana agony OF war in central Belgium
nave been told me by =. A. Mckenzie
euitor OF the London Weekly Times.
pest known for his work as q cor
respondent In the Japanese war and
tne Russian revolution. Obviously Nc
nenzie spoke honestly in every word
ne uttered. and like every other ex-
perienced war correspondent from Bel
gum and France I have interviewed
ne was unable to describe what he wit
messed without an occasional redden-
ing OF the eyes and faltering Of the
voice.
i have seen savage war in many
lands, said Mr. Mckenzie, but never
before anything like that which Bel
xium shows was done there. Oriental
armies In the hour OF victory OF Rus
san troops when relentlessiy sup
pressing internal rebellion were mild
and merciful compared with the treat
ment given to this people.
The German plan OF terrorism was
carefully calculated and Germany
does not deny this. Its aim is not
alone to prevent people from attempt
ing to break the lines OF communica-
uon In Belgium, bat even more 30
to alarm the neighboring Dutch peas
antry that Holland would not Join
the allies.
Burning OF Belgian Towns.
The German excuse Is that the
burning OF Belgian towns and villages
was done only as a punishment for
attacks by civilians. Yet In case aft
er case entire districts were burned
out apparently because OF the stub
born resistance offered by the belgian
army. Take, for example. Belle,
place four miles from Ghent Here a
little force Of 500 Belgian volunteers
with two cannon successfully held up
several thousand Germans for two
hours and made them pay heavily in
life before the defenders retired.
When the Germans entered the
town there was no resistance by the
villagers, who knew too well what
their fate would be- The troops went
into the houses and feasted on the lit
tie stores OF provisions. Ofncers occu-
pied the largest buildings In the vii
lage, the home OF a lawyer. a COM
Portable three story building. The
lawyers wife anxiously gave them her
best. but when the dinner was over
the house was burned with so other
small houses.
Graves in Front Of Kitchens.
7 stood in the village street after
the Germans had gone rs II was
marked by the burning ruins. I no
ticed that the graves Of the victims
had been dug sometimes In front OF
their own kitchen doors. had to ask
myself whether the whole thing was
not a fevered dream. The only crime
of these people was tbss-their village
had been the sceae of a battle in
been sbe
entered the ruins OF q farmhouse
where the eldest son. a lad of nine
teen. had been shot before his mother
and fathers eyes. because the Ger
mans thought he was old enough TO
be a soldier. The house was burned
so thoroughly that not q dish. not
scrap OF wood and not an article worth
five cents remained. A child had
been killed close by. possibly by ac-
cident With home gone. crops ruined
and the eldest son dead. the family
was so stupefed with grief that they
scarcely could reply TO my questions
Down the roadway could see
mothers coming back. gazing distract
edly at the ruins Of their old homes.
seeking for husbands and sons. fear
ing 10 ask for their daughters and In
some cases looking for their babes
and finding them In the ashes OF
death.
While Terronde Burned.
Not long afterward ! stood In one
O, tie few houses left in Termonte-
German oaseers also made this their
Headquarters during the sack Of the
town. and they had marked On the lin
teI-the writing still remained-tirec-
tsoss that the house was 70 be spared
While Termonde was b1rring they
made holiday here They found q
xranophane and plenty OF champagne
They seated themselves In the garden.
played tunes. sang and drank 20 the
cracking chorus Of i.seo burning
names. A woman who witnessed the
feast said to ne. These Germans are
Ve-ttably without hearts
When the ofncers had gene the
camp followers. who acted as order
les and hangerson around the army.
burst open the door and ravased the
house. Every window Was broken. al
most every bit Of glass shattered. the
hrniture smashed. drawers pulled ont
and euptied. desks ransaeked and cup
boards laid bare. In the day nursery
. ehIldren's toy dresser was forced
omen and rummaged- The piaythinsa
we're thrown all around the nursery
ard hooks we're torn and hurled to dif'
terept parts OF the room Every
.,hara in the house the Germans
-, havoc evidently for the sheer