The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1914-10-03
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.

editor OF the London Weekly Times,
best known for his work as cor
respondent in the Japanese war and
the Russian revolution. Obviously Nc
Kenzie spoke honestly in every word
he uttered, and like every other ex-
perienced war correspondent from Bel
gium and France / have interviewed
ne was unable to describe what he wit
messed without an occasional redden-
ing OF the eyes and faltering OF the
voice.
II have seen savage war In many
lands" said Mr.. Mckenzie, but never
before anything like that which Bel
gium shows was done there. Oriental
armies in the hour OF victory or Rus
sian troops when relentlessly 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 oommunica-
tion in Belgium, but even more so
20 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 Client. 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 off the lit
tie stores OF provisions. Officers occu-
pied the largest buildings In the vii
lage. the home OF a lawyer, COM
Portable three story building. The
lawyers wife anxiousiy gave them her
best. but when the dinner was over
the house was burned with so other
small houses.
Graves In Front Of Kitchens.
II stood in the village street after
the Germans had gone as 1t was
marked by the burning ruins. no
ticed that the graves OF the victims
had been dug sometimes in front oi
their own kitchen doors. had to ask
myself whether the whole thing was
nol fevered dream. The only crime
of these people was that their village
had been the scene OF battle II
which several German officers hat
been shot.
II entered the ruins OF farmhouse
where the eldest son, lad OF nine
teen. had been shot before his mother
and fathers eyes, because the Ger
mans thought he was old enough Il
be a soldier. The house was burned
so thoroughly that not dish. not
scrap OF wood and not an article wortl
five cents remained. A child ha'
been killed close by, possibly by &C
cident. With home gone, crops ruined
and the eldest son dead, the famil.
was SO stupefed with grief that the
scarcely could reply to my questions
Down the roadway could Sc
mothers coming back. gazing distract
edly at the ruins OF their old homes
seeking for husbands and sons, feai
ing to ask for their daughters and 4
some cases looking for their babe
and finding them In the ashes Q
death.
While Termonde Burned.
Not long afterward i stood In on
OF the few houses left in Termond'
German officers also made this thel
headquarters during the sack OF tn
town, and they had marked on the lii
tel-the writing still remained-dire,
tions that the house was to be spared
While Termonde was burning the
made holiday here. They found
gramophone and plenty OF champaign
They seated themselves In the gardel
played tunes, sang and drank to tn
cracking chorus OF 1900 burnin
homes. A woman who witnessed III
feast said to me: These Germans al
veritably without hearts
When the officers had gone tf
camp followers. who acted as orde
lies and hangers-on around the arm
burst open the door and ravaged II
house. Every window was broken,
most every bit of glass shattered, II
furniture smashed. drawers pulled Of