Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-11-09
GERMANS MURDER PRISONERS
TAKEN.

Washington-Th fact that Ger
man soldiers, themselves, appealed to
Ambassador Gerard as "the repre-
sentative of a Christian nation" to
protest against atrocities and butch
cry in which their comrades forced
them to participate, will be disclosed
in forthcoming Issue of pamph-
let by the committen OH public infor-
nation, entitled German War Prac-
tees"
One German soldier, conscience
stricken with the massacre Of Rus
sian prisoners, implored the Ar1eri-
can ambassador to protest and signed
his letter ga German Soldier and
Christian"
Another, who through the ambas-
sador, addressed his appeal to the
American government, against the
butchery of prisoners, signed his let.
ter "a Soldier and Man Who il No
Barbarian"
This was the protest of German
soldier, an eye witness of The slaugh-
ter of Russian soldiers in tire Mas
| uriGn lakes and swamps:
1t Was Frightful
at was frightful, heart-rending as
these masses of human beings were
| driven TO destruction Above the ter
riblc thunder of the cannon could be
heard Ike heart-rcnding cries of the
Russians: % Prussians, o Prussians,"
but there was no mercy. Our captain
lad ordered: The whole lot must
| die, SO rapid fire. As l have heard
| five men and one officer went mad
from those heart-rending cries. But
most Of my comrades and the officers
Joked as tie unarmed and helpless
Russians slIriekcd for mercy while
| they were being suffocated in the
swamps and shot down. The order
was: Close up and at it harder
For days afterward those heart-rend-
| ing yells followed me and Idare not
think of them or l shall go mad. There
is no God, there is no morality, and
no ethics any more. There are no
human beings any more, but only
beasts. Down with militarism."
This was the expression of Prus-
sian soldier. AZ present wounded:
Berlin, October %, 1914.
"if you are Il reacc-loving man,
please receive these lines from com
| mon Prussian soldier"
This was the testimony of another
German soldier on the east front:
"Rusian Poland. December 10,
1914:
an the name of Christianity 1 send
you these words:
"My conscience forces me as
German soldier to inform you of these
lines.
wounded Russians arc killed with
the bayonet, according to orders.
"And, Russians who have surren-
dered are often shot down ii masses,
according to orders, in spite of their
heart-rendng prayers.
"ln the hone that you as the rep
resentative of Christian nation, will
protest against this. sign myself.
ga German soldier and Chris
tian.
81 would give my name ard regi-
ment, but these words would get me
court-martialcd for divulging mill
tary secrets"
"To the American Government,
Washington, d. c., u. S. A.:
"Englshmen who have surrendered
are shot down in small groups. With
the French one is more considerable.
l ask why men let themselves be TAX
en- prisoner in order to be disarmed
and shot down afterwards Is that
chivalry in battle? 1t is no longer
secret among the people; one hears
everywhere that few prisoners are
taken; they are shot down in small
groups. They say naively: we don't
want any unnecessary mouths to
feed. Where there is no one to en-
ter complaint there is no judge. Is
there, then, no power in the world
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 No
Barbarian"