Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-19
ALSACE SUFFERS
REIGN OF TERROR,
IS BASEL REPORT
Prussia Iron Hand Felt by
Natives, Though Proved
Innocent of Wrongdoing,
Correspondent Charges.
By JOHN CAMERON

BASEL. Switzerland, Sept. 10.
News from AlsaCe filters slowly
through, whatever the turn of events.
The impression here is that this stricken
province, the population of which has
suffered in full the mseries of war, there
has been no lighting of moment, although
the sound of artillery duels near Null
hausen for the last week has been easily
heard in Basel.
1t appears now clear that after a
brilliant action on September the
French did not enter the town of Mue-
hausen. but Contented themselves by oc-
oupying strategical positions In the
vicinity
The retirement of the French after
their initial occupation of Muelhausen at
the opening of tho war was followed
by a reign of terror which constitutes
one of the blackest chapters of the war,
Always suspicious of the attitude OF the
people of the conquered provinces, the
Germans needed only an excuse to wreak
vengeance and terrorize the population.
Scores of the wealthiest citizens OF
Upper Alsace have either been put in
prison or have suffered grave punishment
Harboring of French soldiers is consider
ed sufficient justification for bloody re-
prisals the strange theory of the Ger
mans being apparently that the man
whose house is invaded by troops, who
fire from the windows, Is responsible for
We're consenting parties, but many were
helpless.
An inquiry Instituted at Burzweiler.
near Muelhausen, where the village was
burned showed that tive inhabitants were
executed on charge of harbOrius
Franctireurs, although that there We're
none of them with the French army has
been proved. The inquiry failed utterly
to establish the charges and proved en-
phatiCa!ly the innocence of the victims.
All the wounds with which the German
soldiers afterwards were inflicted from the
houses were certified by the doctors to
have been caused by proiectiles used only
by the German army.
1t is now understood that the alarm ana
the subsequent fusillade by which Ger
man soldiers We're killed by German fire
was caused by Chlans shooting a
wounded charger behind a brick kiln on
the outskirts of the town.
The priest of a village not far from
the Rhine told me the followiug instance:
shot was heard one night I'm his viii
lage II was fired from the inn. Troops
surrounded the building and rid He'd IL
with bullets. Finally, they took It by as
saut, when its garrison was found to
consist of two Bayarian soldiers who
panic-strlCken at the sound of a shot
fired I'm the night. fired their rifles, imag-
ming themselves besieged by the French
They We're dragged from the room in
which they were hiding and even their
own Circumstantal story failed TO sat
isfy the officers, who proceeded 10 shoot
all male inmates of the inn The cause
Of the panic was discovered in soldier
sleeping ~ a neighboring loft. who had
accidentally fired his rifle.
These are few instances of Incidents
Of daily occurrence which have caused a
deep impression on the people Of the
city OF Basel If, in 4S years Of peare.
ths Germans have failed TO win the af-
f4ction of the AlSatians. the last few
weeks must have had the eueCt of re-
moving further than ever the possibilities
II ever doing SO.