The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-09-13
IN THE FATHER[AND
INTERESTING BITS OF NEWS
FROM THE GREAT GERMAN
EMPIRE.
WHAT'S DOING IN OLD HOME
Summary Of the Most important Hap
penIngs in the Land of the Kaiser
imeiy Items for the German
Readers

The charge that the French have
an organized force whose duty it is to
exterminate all the Germans found in
captured trenches is made in state
ment issued by the Overseas News
agency, as follows: THE French, some
time ago, introduced a new fighting
system which is the most cowardly and
Hagrant violation of the laws of war
developed up to this time. Coincident
reports confirm the fact, not known
until now, that within companies spe-
clal detachmentS have been formed
with express orders to remain behind
IN captured trenches and exterminate
all Germans yet alive. These troops
are called 'Nettoyeurs' Cleaners or
sweepers). Their equipment is not
the rifle, cartridges and bayonet of
other soldiers, but the revolver, knife
ana hand grenade. When the French
storming column succeeds in crossing
trench. the 'Nettoyeurs' enter and
start the work of cleaning the trenches
or ali the living. Hand grenades are
thrown in the dug-outs, where there
are often wounded men. Those who
escape from the hand grenades are
Killed by revolver and knife when
they attempt to come out. This ter
rlDle slaughter is continued from man
to man. Every man, whether wounded
or not, whether armed or not, is mer-
cileSSly stabbed or shot
The German Admiral Won Tirpitz,
who advocates unrestricted submarine
warfare on merchantmen, has issued
manifesto demanding war with the
United States. Won Tirpitz insists that
Germany is handicapped in the prose-
cuton of it's life and death struggle by
the limitations imposed on submarine
operations by the German government,
at the instance of the United States.
de argues that this country, in any
case, Is hostile to Germany and that
the Tune has gone by to consider it's
wishes. He believes should the United
States enter the war on the side of
the allies it would do no more harm
to the German cause than it already
has done. 1t is not believed that the
kaiser will permit himself and his gov
eminent to be Influenced to the adop-
ton of hostile policy toward the
United States. Nevertheless. it is
considered highly significant that the
papers were permitted to publish the
Won TirDitZ manifesto
A proclamation containing views of
the peace conditions which might be
imposed by Germany is published by
the Independent committee for Ger
man peace" an organization formed
some time ago by those considered to
be the extreme war advocates in Ger
many. The document asserts that
Russian territory from the Baltic to
Volhynia must in the future be in
Guided in the German sphere, to serve
as bulwark against the Russian ten
dency to annihilate Germany Frances
revenge ideas must constantly be kept
In mind, so that in the west also
changes would be necessary. Belgium,
in the future, adds the proclamation,
either will be German or an English
bulwark, so real guarantees" there
also are needed. The document then
cites the expression of DR.. Peter
SPAIN, leader of the Catholic center
party in the reichstag, that Belgium
must lie in German hands militarily,
economically and politically"
Three German merchantmen cap
tured by the Japanese in Kiao Chow
bay in the Tsing-tau campaign of
1914, and which were brought to
Japan after the capitulation of the
German Notifications, have undergone
repairs at the naval dockyards. One
Of them has been renamed Rozan and
placed in the navy as a special ship.
A companion vessel has been placed
in similar service and has been re-
named Koshi, the Japanese word for
Kiao Chow. The third vessel, which
has also been nearly finished, will be
commissioned in September.
being called Seito, the translation of
Tsing-tau. The ships have each a tom
mage of about $500 TONS
The result of Dr. Karl Liebknecht's
appeal against his sentence for war
treason has been the imposition of a
new and severer sentence of four years
anc one month penal servitude and ex-
pulsion from the army, according to
from Berlin. An appeal was
heard before a supreme court-martial
presided over by naval captain. In
to his prison sentence, Doctor
Liebknecht is deprived of his civil
rights for six, years
King Ludwig III has been stricken
with apoplexy and his condition is
grave, says a Rome dispatch to the
Petit Parisien. King Ludwig is sew
euty-one years old. He married the
Maria Theresa of Austria
and assembled the Bavarian throne in
1918.
The autumn fair at Leipzig was
opened August 26. Exhibitors number
900 more than is usual even in
times of peace. A new section has
been added for the display of food
stuffs.