Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-22
Fleeing Army Appropriates
Food Supplies Sent to
Starving French.
RUTHLESS RUIN IN
WAKE OF TEUTONS
Guns Turned on Villages and Houses
Destroyed Before Evaeuatins Terri
tory-British Armies Find None But
Very Old Men and Women and Chill.
dren Inhabitins Reeaptured Towns
Able Bodied Mon and Boys Kidnapsd,
tStaff Correspondence Of Associated


tStaff Correspondence Of Associated
Press.l
War Correspondence Headquarters
With the British Armies in France,
March GIVE would have starved
had it not been for the American relief
commission" said French woman In
the city hall OF Nesle today to the cor
respondent. She was speaking for her.
self and her two little children and
their pallid faces and high cheek bones
gave evidence OF their privation. ),
Wherever one went in the territory
recently evacuated by the Germans the
same story of hardship was repeated.
Most Of the inhabitants said the Ger
man soldiers were kept strictly under
control 1t was repeatedly asserted.
however, that within the last few.
weeks tho Germans appropriated some
OF the American relief stores to their
own use. even to the extent Of three
fourths Of the supplies. 1t was also
said the Germans took possession OF
the white flour. Issuing black flour In
STEAD 10 the 1nnabltantS.
Joyous Over Liberation.
Some Of the peasants encountered In
the evacuated territory were plainly
joyous at their liberation. Others ap-
peared to have their spirits sDrUkeS.
Their attitude was ono Of absolute sub
mission to anything that might hap
pen. Many children who have seen
nothing but German soldiers in their
lives stared today at British "Tom-,
mics"
One OF the greatest ordeals the
people had to endure. they said, was to
stand by and see their homes broken
up by the retreating German soldiers.
Some of the French were segregated in
parts OF the villages while the destruc-
ton was carried on.
The inhabitants Of several villages
had been gathered at Rouy- le-Petit in
certain houses and told to remain in
them certain number of hours while
the Germans got away. While 50
herded together they declared. the
Germans had sent 200 shells into the
village, killing several persons. The
funerals, which We're in progress In the
village today. lent color to this story.
People in other villages also assert
they heard the firing and thought
battle was in progress.
1t was pitiful to motor thru villages
far from the firing line and yet they
We're lying in absolute ruin.
Mono Left But Women and Children.
Active steps are being taken by the
British and French to relieve the
people in the liberated zone. About the
only persons seen are old men. women
and children. Boys who had attained
the age Of 16 and men considered over
the military age by the French were
taken off by the Germans for work be-
hind their lines. Many of these had
been compelled to work in the Ger
man trenches. where they said they
also met many Belgians ard Russians.
1t was asserted that one OF the reasons
for the wholesale deportation OF Bel
gians was the necessity of construction
Of the new positions to which the Ger
mans have fallen back.
Ruthless Destruction.
The amount Of work involved in
saving down fruit trees in the evacu-
ated territory !s almost incalculable
and everywhere the destruction seems
to have been carried out in the last few
Gcys. Tho German claim the. some
trees were destroyed for the purpose
of blocking the roads. this being tusti-
fled by military law. was beled in
many places where trees lining the
roads and deliberately cut down
fell in positions away from the road
ways. In any event the clearing of the
roads was matter Of small concern.