The sun., 1917-11-06
PRISONERS SHOT
BY GERMANS TO
CONSERVE FOOD
Letters Received by Gerard
Telling Of Atrocities to
Be Made Public
X
FRENCH ALONE SPARED
German Soldiers Horrified at
Brutality Of Officers
Ask for Relief.
FRENCH ALONE SPARED

WAsH1SGToN, nov. b.-Ine TACT tnAt
German soldiers themselves appealed to
Ambassador Gerard as ''the representa-
tive OF a Christian state" to protest
against atrocities and butcheries IN
which their commanders forced them to
participate will be disclosed in forth
coming issue OF pamphlet by the Com
mittee on Public Information entitled
German War Practices
One German soldier conscience
stricken with the massacre Of Russian
prisoners, implored the American AM
bassador 10 protest and signed his let
ter "a German Soldier and Christian"
Another through the Ambassador ad-
dressed his appeal to the American
Government against the butchsry Of
prisoners and signed his letter "A eol-
der and Man Who Is No Barbarian"
This was the protest Of q German
soldier. an eyewitness OF the slaughter
Of Russian soldiers in the MaSurian
/. lakes and swamps
1T was frtgbtful. heartrending. as
these masses OF human beings were
driven to destruction. Above the ter
rible thunder OF the cannon could be
heard the heartrendng cries OF the
Russians. 'oh. Prussians. Oh. Prus-
siansr But there was no mercy. Our
Captain had ordered. The whole 10.
must die, so rapid fire
Driven Mad by Horrors.
"As have heard, FIVE men and one
officer on our side went mad from those
/ heartrendine cries But mcst OF my
comrades and the officers 5oked as the
: unarmed and helpless Russians shrieked
{ for mercy while they were being suf-
I focated in the swamps and shot down.
/ The order was; Close Up and at II
! harder
For days aftervsrd those heart
/ rending yells followed me. and / dare
I not think Of them or 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 miiitarism
/ ''rhis was the experience Of Q Prus-
| sian soldier At present wounded. Bertin
October %. 1914.
''If you are = truth loving man please
receive these lines from a common Prus
sian soldier"
This was the testimony OF anothe,
German soldier on the eas, front
RUSSIAN POLAND.
December 10. 1914
In the name.pf Christianity .cnd
you these words;
My conscience forces me as a Chri.
tian German soldier to inform you o.
these lines. Wounded Russians are
killed with the bayonet autording &c
orders, and Russians who have sur
rendered are often shot down in masse,
according TO orders. In spite OF thei,
heart rending prayers.
Hopes for Protest.
in the hope that you, as the repre-
sentative OF a Christian state. will pro
test against THE. I sign myself.
"A GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRISTIAN.
Il would give my name and regiment
hut these words could get me court
msrtialled for divulsing military secrets
This letter was from a soldier on IN,
western front;
"To the American Government. Wash
in0tor, u. S. A.:
"Englishmen who have surrendere,
are shot down in small groups. Will
the French one Is more considerate
ask whether men let themselves he takel
prisoner IN order to be disarmed an,
, shot down afterward7 Is that chivair,
In battle? II is no longer a secret amonl
the people. one hears everywhere tina
. few prisoners are taken they are shc
down in small groups. They say naively
We don't want any unnecessary mouth
, TO feed Where there is no one to ente
complaint there is no Judge
lis there then no power in the worl,
, which can put An end TO these murder
and rescue the Victims Where is Chris
, tianity? Where is right? Might IL right
I "a SoLpIER AND MAN WHO Is No BAR