Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-12-14
GERMAN CRUELTIES
Russian Poland Perish;ng Says Freder;c<C. Wo1cott-
Policy of Starvation lnaue. rated by Russians
French To,uns Untouched BY War
Left in Ruins.
ARTICLE No. 4,

ARTICLE No. 4. t.
1.-THE fourth of series Of articles pre-,
pared by Dana c. Munro. of Prince
ton University. George c. Sellery, Of
the University of Wisconsin, and Au-
gust c. Kreg. of the University Of
Minnesota. for the committee of pub
lie information Of the United States
Poland.
The systematic exploitation of hu-
man misery by the German authorities
in Poland followed the general plan
with which the reader has become only
too familiar. In order to prove the
identity of procedure it will be enough
to present the detailed report specially
written for this pamphlet by Mr..
Frederic C. Walcott. He said:
Poland-Russian Poland-is perish
ing. And the German high command,
imbued with the Prussian system. il
coolly reckoning on the necessities OF
. starving people to promote its i'm
perial ends.
West Poland. which has been Prus-
sian territory more than q hundred
years. is a disappointment to Ger
many; It's people obstinately remain
Poles. This time they propose swif.
ter measures. IN two or three years,
by grace OF starvation and frightful.
ness. they calculate East Poland Will
be thoroughly made over into a Ger.
man province.
7 In the great Hindenburg drive one
year ago. the country was completely
devastated by the retreating Russian
army and tho oncominE Germans. A
million people were driven from their
homes. HALF Of them persisted by the
roadside. For miles and miles, when
] saw, the country, the way was lit
tered with mudsoaked garments and
bones picked clean by the cfows-tho
the larger bones had been gathered by
the thrifty Germans to be ground into
fertilizer. Wicker baskets-the little
basket in which baby swings from
the rafters In every. peasant home
were scattered along the way. mum
dreds and hundreds, until one could not
count them. each one telling a death.
Warsaw, which had not been de-
seroyed-once proud city OF MD
lion people-was utterly stricken.
Poor folks by thousands lined the
streets leaning against the buildings.
shivering in snow and rain. too weak
to lift q hand, dying Of cold and hun.
ger. Tho the rich gave all they had.
and the poor shared their last crust.
they were starving there In the streets
In droves, fii-
In tne stricken city, the German
governor Of warsaw issued . procla-
nation. All 1able-bodted Poles were
hidden to 90 to Germany to work. II
any refused. lot no other Polc give him
to geat not 90 much Us mouthful.
under penalty Of German military law.
The psiiey 81 Starvation.
Il was more than the mind could
grasp. To, the husband ana father Of
broken families. the nigh command
gaveSthis decree: Leave your Families
to starve:ii6 you sthy we shall see
that you do starve-.4 this to- . high
strung. sensitive, highly psgankSd
people. this from the authorities Of 3
nation protesting civilixation and res
ligion to millions of fellow Christians
captive and starving.
General Won Kries. the governor. was
kind enough to explain, Candidly,
they preferred not quite 90 much star.
vation: II might get ON the nerves Of
the German soldiers. Bat starvation
being present. at Muat woek for Ger
man purpose. Il Taking advantAse Of
this wretchedneaa the working men of
Poland were to be removed: the coun-
try was to be festocked with Germans.
II was country Germany needed
rich alluvial soil--better suited to Ger
man expansion than distant posses
'sions. II the Poland that was had to
perish, 80 much the better for Ger
many.
Remove the men. let the young and
weak die, graft German stock on this
women. See how simple 1t is; with q
crafty, smile. General Won Kries con-
cluded. by and by We must give back
freedom to Poland. Very good: il
will re-appear as a German province
+ Slowly. I came; to realize that this
monstrous, Incredible thing was the
Prussian system, deliberately chosen
BY the circle around the all-highes
and kneaded aAto the German people
till it became part Of their mind.
German people are material fol
building the state-of no other account
Other people are for Germany's will te
work upon. Humanity. liberty. equal
ity.s the rights Of others-all foolish
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