Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-11-06
Piteous Appeals for Mercy Are
Answered by Rapid Fire
ASsassinations.
WOUNDED SlAVS BAYONETeO
Englishmen Executed in Small
Squads; French Given
Better Treatment.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5.-The fact
that German soldiers themselves ap-
pcaled to Ambassador Gerard as the
representative of Christian state
to protest against atrocities and the
butchcries in which their command
ers forced them to participate Will he
disclosed in a forthcoming issue of a
pamphlet by the committee on public
information entitled German War
Practices"
The German soldier, conscience
stricken with the massacre of Russian
prisoners. implorod the American am
hassador to protest and signed his let
ter. "a German soldier and Christian.
Another, who thru the ambassador,
addressed his appeal to the American
government against the butchery. of
prisoners, signed his letter "a soldier
and man who is no barbarian"
This was the protest of a German
soldier, an eyewitness of the slaughter
o. Russian soldiers in the Masurian
lakes and swamps:
at was frightful. heart-rending. as
these masses of human beings were
driven to destruction. Above the ter
rible thunder OF the cannon could be
heard the heartrending cries of the
Russians crying, 'Oh, Prussians! oh,
Prussiens'
But there was no mercy. Our cap
tain had ordered. The whole lot must
die; so rapid fire AS / have heard
five men and one officer on our side
went mad from those heart-rendine
cries. But most of my comrades and
the officers joked as the unarmed and
helpless Russians shrieked for mercy
while they were being suffocated IN
the swamps and shot down. The order
was: Close up and at IL hafdert t'ol
days those heart-rending yells too
followed me and | dare not think OF
them or / shall go mad. There is nc
God, there is morality and no ethics
any more. There are no human beine
any more but only beasts. Down will
militarism.
This was the experience OF Prus-
sian soldier, at present wounded, Ber.
!. lin. October 22, 1914:
IF you are a truth'loving man
please receive these lines from com
mon Prusslan soldier"
This was the testimony of another
German soldier on the eastern front
Russian Poland, December 10
1914.
I'm the name of Christianity I send
you these words.
MY conscience forces me as 8
Christian German soldier to inform
you of these lines
wounded Russians are killed will
the bayonet according to orders.
And Russians who have surrend
cred are often shot down in masses
according to orders, in spite of theil
heart-rending prayers.
"In the hope that you, as the rep
resentativc of n Christian state. viii
protest against this | sign myself.
"A German soldier and Christian.
IT would give my name and regi
ment, but these words could get ms
court -martialed for divulging military
secrets"
This letter was from a soldier or
the western front:
"To the American government:
Washington, L. s. A.
"Engishmen who have SURRENDERED
are shot down in small groups. Witt
! the French one is more conSiderate
| / ask whether men let themselves tC
| taken prisoner in order to be dis
armed and shot down afterward? il
that chlvalry in battle? 1t is M
| longer a secret among the people; on'
hears everywhere that few prisoners
are taken: they are shot down II
small groups. They say naively W.
don't want any unnecessary mouths
to feed. Where there Is no one e
enter complaint there is no Judge Il
/ there then no power in the worlt
which can put an end to these muir
ders and rescue the victims? Where
| is Christianity? Where is right
| Might is right
"A soldier and man who is nj
| barbarian"