Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-09-25

he said. "Of course, our soldiers, like
soldiers of all armies, sometimes get
out Of hand and do things which we
would never tolerate If we knew it.
At Louvain, for example, l sentenced
two soldiers to IL years penal servi-
tude apiece for assaulting woman"
Louvain Library Incident.
"Apropos of Louvain," l remarked.
why did you destroy the library? 1t
was one of the literary storehouses of
the world"
we regretted that as much as any
one else," answered the general. 1T
caught fire from burning houses and
we could not save it,"
But why did you burn Louvain at
all?" l asked
because the townspeople fired on
our troops. We actually found ma
chine guns in some of the houses"
And smashing his fist down on the
table, he continued: Whenever civil
ians fire upon our troops we Will
teach them lasting lesson. II women
and children insist on getting In the
way of bullets. SO much the worse for
the women and children"
How do you explain the lombard
queried.
Explains Zeppelin Bombs.
.'Zeppelins have orders to drop their
bombs only on Notifications and sol
diers," he answered.
''As a matter of fact" l remarked.
nplN ri TO
and civilians, several of them women.
II one of those bombs had dropped 200
yards nearer my hotel l wouldn't be
smoking one OF your excellent cigars
today"
This is a calamity which thank
God didn't happen"
IF you feel for my safety as deeply
as that, general" ! said earnestly,
you can make quite sure of my COM
ing to no harm by sending no more
Zeppelins."
Well" he said. laughing. I'VE will
think about It," He continued grave
ly:
Il trust you will tell the American
people through your paper what I
have told you today. Let them hear
our side OF this atrocity business. 1t
is only Justice that they should be
made familiar with both sides of the
question"
have quoted my conversation with
the general as nearly verbatim as I
can remember it. have no comments
to decide for themselves just how con-
vincing are the answers of the Ger
man general stan to the Belgian ac-
cusations.
Photographs German Army.
Before We began our conversation !
asked the general II Mr.. Thompson
might be permitted to take photo
graphs of the great army passing.
Five minutes later Thompson was
whirled away in a military motor car
ciceroned by an army officer who had
attended the army school at Fort
Riley. 1t seems they stopped the car
beside the road in a place where the
light was good. and when Thompson
saw approaching a regiment or bat.
terry of which he wished picture he
would tell the officer. whereupon the
officer would blow his whistle, and
the whole column would halt
Just wait a few minutes until the
dust Settles" Thompson would re-
mark, nonchalantly lighting a cigar
ette. and the Ninth imperial army,
whose columns stretched over the
countryside as far as the eye could see
would stand in its tracks until the air
was sufii iiciently clear to get picture.
Thus far the only one who has sue
ceeded in halting the German army is
this little photographer from Kansas.
Show Thompson eunnery.
As a field battery of the Imperial
guard rumbled past, Thompson made
some remark about the accuracy of
the American gunners at Vera Cruz.
Let US show you what our gunners
can do" said the officer. and gave an
order. There were more orders. a per-
feet volley of them, a bugle shrilled
harshly. the eight horses strained
against their collars, the drivers
cracked their whips. and the gun left
the road. bounded across ditch, and
swung into position In an adjacent
field.
On a knoll three miles away an
ancient windmill was beating the air
with its huge wings. The shell hit the
windmill fair and square and tore ii
into splinters.
Good work. Thompson observed
critically; III those fellows of yours
keep on they'll be able to get job
in the American navy after the war"
In all the annals of modern war
do not believe there is a parallel to
this American war photographer halt
ing with an upraised. peremptory hand
the advancing army. leisurely photog
raphing regiment after regiment. and
then having field gun of the Impe-
rial guard go into action solely to
pratJfy hiS curiosity