Valdez daily prospector., 1915-02-03
WOMEN KNOW HOW ID DIE BRAvELY

BERLIN.-A German officer in- | valided to his home in Berlin says l courage is common thing in the ''umar race, and greatly to his sur. prise he found that even civilians were not afraid to die. The officer was with the command of von Kluck in the invasion of Belgium and witness ed many executions by Germans of persons, both men and women, who had been accused of spying or sniping at the invaders. The German off cer states that it was surprising how the Belgian women and even young girls would look their executioners in the face and hold their heads high as though the end of all things had no terror for them. Their faces might be pale and their limbs trem. ble, but they all died with their heads up. .3
 Since the beginning of the war thou sands of men and women have been shot as spies. Many of them were undoubtedly innocent but in war fare there is no time to make in- vestigations even if the courts mar tial were so inclined. Sniping at an invading army, especially a German army, brings disastrous consequences to the inocent as we'll as the guilty. The Germans have taken terrible toll from the eBlgians and French civilians for their patriotism. The civilian who attempts to retaliate and deal blow for blow is sure to meet death before firing squad. The non- combatant who discharges rifle at an aviator who is dropping bombs up on his home is made to pay the death penalty when the fortunes of war brings him within the grasp of the enemy.
 That the Germans have executed many innocent Belgians on the charge of spying is, perhaps, not to be great ly wondered at. They are making war in a foreign country where the populace has every opportunity to observe the movements of the troops and convey information to their own countrymen. The German generals believe that in an enemy's country it is unwise to take chances. Better that an innocent civilian should die as a spy than that the army should be imperiled through its movements being revealed to the enemy.
 Women show no more fear of death than the bravest men when they face a firing squad. A young French girl was recently executed by the Ger mans because she was believed to have misinformed German officers The officers, upon entering the town, had asked the girl if there were any French soldiers in the place. She told them that she had not seen any. In few minutes the Germans were fired upon from ambush but after a desperate struggle succeeded in driving the handful of French sol diers from the village. After the engagement the German officer caus- ed the girl to be arrested and brought before him. He told her that she had lied. to him and that she was to be shot. The girl declared that she had only arrived in town few mo- ments before the Germans made their appearance and that she did not know there were any French soldiers in the town. She did not beg for mercy but faced death with a smile upon her face. Many of the German officers believed the girl was inno, cent but the commanding officer was in a rage and declared that examples were necessary to impress upon the people the folly of giving false in> formation.
 Courage is not confined to any race or sex but is quite common quality. As the German officer said, "the most commonplace of men die quite well."-