Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-03-06

| or course, no opportunities to learn
from BeIgians how they had been
treated or mistreated But we did
have ample opportunity TO observe
how the German soldiers behaved
themselves We found their conduct
admirable. Even TO five men whom
they had gathered I'm as suspected
spies they were considerable. They
did not bully us and they shared with
us their food and drink.
On Friday night they put us on a
train with scores OF French prisoners
OF war bound for Cologne, dep0siting
rs at Aachen and seeming right glad
to be rid Of us.
SEES RESULT or GERMAN
DISCIPLINE.
In Aachen we were under suryeil-
lance for three or four days by the
civil police and then ceased to be
objects of either suspicion or inter-
est The town being convenient to
the Holland border, where We could
mail our letters to America, we made
II our headquarters for nearly two
months. During that period ] made
two trips TO scenes Of German mill
tary operations in France, each time
under escort OF a German officer. On
those trips had scores OF Opp0rtuni-
ties TO observe the iron discipline Of
the German troops, their sobriety,
their scriipulousness In paying for
meals al French inns, and their good
understanding with the civil popula-
ton In France, and 1t Is OF these mat
tiers that would make some state
faent In detail
AS TO MURDER POLICY"
In the opening paragraph of your
contribution to the Chronicle You say
that "a time has now come when in
cold blood, with every possible re-
straint, one is justified In saying that
since the most barbarons campaigns
OF Alva In the loWlands, or the excess
ses or the thirty years war, there has
been no such deliberate policy Of MUIR
der as has been adopted In this strug-
Gle by the German forces This is the
most terrible since these forces are
not like those OF Alva, Parma or.
Tilly. bands OF turbulent and mercen-
airy soldiers, but they are the nation
itself, and their deeds are condoned
or even applauded by the entire ma
tional press.
Haltingly, owing to meager know
ledge OF the German language, hut
pretty faithfully for more than three
months, have followed the reputable
Cologne and Aachen papers on the
war. and have neither read nor
heard read any such condonement or
applause Naturally, what they do
not cOncede they do not have to con.
done, and the German press does not
concede that German troops have
outraged the laws OF civilized war.
fare. 4 s
cITEs CASE or GERMAN SYM.
pATHY.
you say In your next paragraph
that war may have beautiful as
well as q terrible side and be full Of
straint which mitigate its unavoidable
touches Of human sympathy and re.
horrors. and YOU cite Instances OF,
this from the mediaeval wars between
England and France and from the
campaigns In the peninsula in proof
of that assertion.
And then you ask:
"Could you imagine Germans maxi
ing war IN such spirit as this :"
! can not only imagine It but ! have
seen II.
! thought 1t q beautiful thing to see
my friend Capt Franz Won Kempis Of
the KOnigin Augusta Garde grenadier
No. 4, standing uncovered
on chill October afternoon before
the grave Of the French officer who
today is known throughout the Ger.
man armies in northern France as
the brave Alvares That soldier
was commander Of the Fort des
Ayrelles, near CharleVille. and when
the garrison refused 10 make the
stand against the Germans which ne
felt its honor demanded he killed
himself The vict0fs buried him With
military ho1ofs in lovely evergreen
grove behind the fort and over hiss
grave they erected a beautiful cross
fashioned with patient skill from
wood. And that cross bears this in
scfiption in German text:
Here rests the brave commandment.
He was not able to live longer than
the fortress Entrusted to him.
BY this simple cross of wood tho
German soldier honors in thee the
hero OF duty.
SECOND LANDWEHR PION.
EERs' COMPANY OF THE EIGHTH
ARMY CORPS.
september, 1914
Some day In happier times hope to-
show You the photograph Of this
shrine place under the eyergreens.
In late 0ffn1,ot- f1.n EortnauS xuaehf&