Evening journal., 1917-03-27
GERMAN CRUELTIES
At HIGHEST MARK
Women Wronged, Towns
Pillaged and Farms Dey-
astated by Armies
WANT U. S. TO HELP
STOP THE SLAUGHTER
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs
United Press Stan Correspondent

1ulAtu Ateh oAdA AOIIthUuuutNN
WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES IN
FRANCE, March 27.-One day spent
in the territory just wrencbed from
German domination by French British
arms. would make the most timid hu.
man pacifJ jack rabbit stand on his
hind legs and spit in the Prussian
war hounds face
n American voters could spend an
hour among the pnched faces OF bab-
les, could hear the stories OF wrong
cd women. could see pillaged towns,
sacked cities and the devastated coun-
ltryside-then any Washington pollt-
clan refusing 10 help resist the
Kaiser's decision to treat Americans
I'm the same way would find himself
suddenly snatched from his chair by
the nape OF his neck and hustled
whore the whangdoode mourns there
lforevermore.
rs America coming into The war -
q woman with a sick husband and sew
eral small children asked me at Ncslc.
Tell your people for Gods sake-for
their sake-for cvorybody's sake-help
us stop the war, because IT, won't end
until those horrible prussians are beat
en-. And with America IN, they'll be
beaten tho quicker
''If YOU had lived "A have lived for
two and half ycars-compeled 10
kow tow TO them like a servant. you'd
understand
My 2O.year old sister. with lots Of
other girls and women. was sent away
by these Prussians TO where and TO
what fate we don't know My husband
was not taken, because he was i'll; my
babies because they were too young
'Wo had COWS, horses. pigs. chick
ems and the like-but the Germans
took all At first they paid for them I'm
notes scribbled on any scrap Of paper
handy But for over year now they
have taken what they wanted, with
out even giving US these notes.
Before they left ! asked them II
they wouldn't give me a little cash
in place Of some OF their notes-but
they laughed in my face.
"'Take them TO Polncare, they said,
'Or to your British friends-they
pay you-a then they laughed some
more"
This story Of the women with the
babies and the sick husband was not
unique or unusual It was duplicated
throughout the region.
Another woman. with a bandaged
hand. said a German officer burst
, into her bedroom and that her hand
had been cut by his sword while she
: was trying 10 defend herself against
his advances.
. "I talked TO an old man at Rouy le
Q Grand whose right hand was wound
o cd by splinter OF wood during The
{ bombardment.
The Germans destroyed my farm
south Of St Quentin. after taking or
my furniture and everything else ="
he said. ~ saved only the clothes on
my back The Germans dynamited my
home, they chopped down my apple
orchard, they ruined my well, fill
ing It with manure
There were about 1900 OF us col
lected here after similar treatment
On Saturday night the Germans or
dered us under penalty TO remain in
doors. On Sunday morning they were
gone
Good Godl-we were happy when
the British and French aeroplanes
few past, close to the ground With
flags flying we cried. sang and dane
ed on the streets like old fools.
About o'clock the Germans be-
gan bombardng the village They
. killed an old man, an old woman and
boy and girl, wounding two more,
not counting me with my scratch.
That's a real German for you-con-
centrate the old folks and children In
a a village and then shell a.
e They would have let us starve
but for the American relief commits
sion. n 1t had not been for the com
mission the babies never would have
survived"
British thOroughness Is proving It.
self anew I'm this devastated region.
The royal engineers are throwing un
roads and bridges everywhere. like
magic, I have been over such roads
r up and down and back and forth in
a an automobile and can testify to their
excellence. lf one were able TO for
r get for a moment the rampant hor-
; rors Of war. one could see that a
p new phase not devoid OF certain at.
= tractiveness has come over the coun-
- try. There Is action everywhere Cav
Y airy columns on the move glsten in
! the sunshine. recalling old Civil WaI
lprlnts-but a moment later one finds
: oneself i'm 2, ravaged village-starine
helplessly al some blue.veined baby
in the skinny arms OF an i'll nour
I ished mother, whose feverish. hunted
sunken eyes drive from the mind all
NaN.