New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-30

I,b.v b.havs. now that affairs were as they
wished them2 / asked her what impression
the Germans made on her IN the sixteen
months of living with them. she said that
Tho officers were arrogant She found the men
NJ two sorts-some we're brutes, and some,
though rough, were very nice tires gentilles).
The officers shut her up in prison once for
twelve hours because she refused 70 work on
Sunday. This was only one Of several ways
in which | learned that she is of deeply re-
ligious Daturs.
saying:
AZ home This is my home.
Whon the commander discovered that she
was a teacher as we'll as nurse, ne had her
teach the children at a neighboring village
She had to walk the four miles dag, there
and back.
Forced Work in the Fields.
At one season they put her out in the
fields TO work, along with batch OF Russian
prisoners and with all the village women Up
70 6ftv-fve years Of age. She went out
with rake at a. m, and WORKED til II
then from ~ o'clock till D.
She talked with the soldiers
"One soldier once said 70 me, ! had 70
fire at a woman and child IN Belgium. Ny
officer held a revolver and made me 90 IT,"
The officers had kilo Of butter day.
That is two and one-quarter POUNDS man
each day. The private soldiers had one
quarter of a kio a week. That IS hVe-elgntns
Of pound week, each man.
1--WE had road which the Germans de.
cided to mend. So they sent twenty-five Of
twelve French laborers. They paid them 10
sou, day 40 cents) They worked FOR
one month, using the heap Of stones By the
roadside for the repairing. These were
stones belonging TO our village. AT the end
of the month they charged US 5000 francs
for remaking the road. They had used our
labor. our material and then charged as for
doing the work.
"Our village had 500 people in peace times,
but now only 200 were left The Germans
asked from us an indemnity Of 10000 francs.
They said that was to cover them FOR the loss
NJ the crops il they were driven out before
we had harvested the crops. They posted
notices stating that half our village was TO
he burned if the money was not paid. When
thew had taken our 10000 francs they asked
Il, 10 give more money because some OF the
other little villages had not been able to
raise the full amount of their indemnity We
refused to give them more money.
"After we had harvested the crops for them,
we asked them 70 return our l2OOO francs,
because that was to be repaid 70 US u tney
received our crops. The Germans replied;
"'You did not show humanity. You did not
help out the other villages that could not
pay. So now we keep the money to teach
you humanity
"In this way the Germans had our work,
our harvests and our money"
The Whole German Method Disclosed.
This young nurses recital touches on all
the German practices. In that village Of
Launois they uncovered all their carefully
wrought method for converting neighbor's
country into a subject of the German En-
pire. First they sent their spy TO study tho
district. the roads, the strong boxes. He
worked during the years of "peace." Then
the troops came. Under orders, they burned,
pillaged and murdered. That is for moral
effect, TO deaden the spirit of the invaded
country. Then they operated their steam
roller: that machinery OF enforced work hnes
reauisitions and taxation which enriches
Berlin and impoverishes Launos. Had the
little village of Launois offended the Great
General staff at Berlin! Oh, no. But the
day had come at last 70 conquer more ter
ritory for Germany.
Marie Louise Vincent had been with the
Germans from August %, 1914, till January g.
1915. certain number Of refugees were
then released by them, the young nurse
among them. She came through Switzerland
to Southern France and took up nursing IN a
private hospital near Blois, where I saw her
on June %. had the feeling through the
afternoon that none OF these things had
touched the fresh young spirit Of her Her
simplicity and girlishness will outliye the
war and the horror that came down from the
north.