The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-31

did not last long. Then we had to
work for the Germans and take what
they gave us. Sometimes it was so
bad that even the cats refused to eat.
Then the Americans began to feed us,
and that saved thousands OF lives. Our
people are very grateful.
Seemed Like q Century.
But let us not dwell on the ply
steal side today, but speak OF the men
tai and moral anguish we endured, for
It seemed like the span OF q hundred
years. 1t has left US all but imbecile.
I scarce can keep my vagrant thoughts
together"
Last sunday when early mass was
over, the German commandant at Voy-
ennes appeared at the church with q
party OF soldiers bearing petrol cans.
He bluntly told the priest that he was
tired Of the war and. as one means OF
bringing the end nearer, he was going
to burn the church.
The priest thought It was O cruel
jest until he was escorted to his house
and held prisoner there. He was COM
PEELED to look on impotently while the
LIQUID was sprayed about and the
torch applied in a dozen places. OF all
the ancient interior. only the wooden
crucifx against the altar wall, by
some strange freak. escaped the flames.
Late at night the Germans rode
away. Not another building In all
Voyennes was touched.
But" said the old priest, 81 lived
to see the German spirit break. A few
days ago an officer met me in the
street and said: Father, we are lost.
I have done much in this war that, rests
heavily on my conscience, but have
done II under orders. dare not dis
obey told him that he surely would
be absolved, for he was not to blame.
There were others Of higher station
who must answer to their God.
Defies German Commander.
when the Germans first came, the
commander sought me and said that
the people of Voyennes had fired on his
troops and that reparations would be
demanded. 1t was the same old story,
and I told him II was q lie; that we
had no firearms; that If shots were
fired it was done by German troops
as an excuse to make us suffer. The
commander did not carry out his
threat.
I'VE have had many commanders
since then and one and all. they have
ruled their men with a discipline Of
iron. Some of the officers treated their
subordinates like dogs; they Eaid the
men were their slaves. as the French
would be. l saw an ofhcer one day,
with no reason whatever cuff his order
~ so ndTu IIldI the IldI oy0 was
black for a week. The soldiers only
reply was to click his heels together
and come to salute.
Some Of the villagers ASKED the
men why they submitted to such trsbt-
ment. They replied that they were
helpless now as part of a military ma
chine, but when the war was over
their time would come. For long
time now the German soldiers have
10 hnvA
been growing less and less. tell you
with all solemnity that when the war
is ended there will be a reckoning and
Germany will know a blood red rev.
olution. The best commander we had
was one who spent Is years in America
and married an American girl. He had
tasted the joys of liberty in a free
country and his every, act mo matter
how stern, was touched with kindness.
He spared us much.
Out Of World Two Years.
For two years and half we have
been out of the world and probably
will never catch up.
THE Germans distributed a paper
they printed. called the Gazette Des
Ardennes, but we would not read its
extravagant falsehoods and accusations
tanned a French paper. We knew then
that Paris had not fallen and would
not fall. We knew the glory Of Yer
dun. OF \ Ca we knew only that
Roosevelt W, urging the great nation
to come IN.
1--WE knew last autumn Of the bat.
ties Of the somme, for we saw wound
ed Germans coming back until the
roads seemed choked with mangied
men. We saw other thousands going
back to the trenches after q brief rest
and heard them cry out: Jesus have
mercy! Jesus save uR!' We heard
wounded men tell Of the Tnaddening
fire Of the British ana French guns