Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-06
ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY
PRUSSlANS BRING PROTEST
FROM TEUToNS.
TO GERARD TO
PUT STOP TO HORRORS
Brutal Shooting OF Unarmed Russians
ReveaIed-Prussian Officers Joke at
SIauehter-Wounded Men Bayoneted
and English Captives Shot Down in
Groupes.

Washington, Nov. 6.-Prussian bru-
tally exercised in the early days OF the
European war, when large numbers OF
Russian prisoners were shot down in
colo blood on order of German officers,
was shown by letters written by Ger
man soldiers to James W. Gerard in
1914, when he was ambassador TO
Germany, and made public yesterday
by the committee on public informa-
ton.
These letters were written to Am
bassador Gerard as the representa-
tive of a christian state in the hope
he would be able to put a stop to the
butcheries. Officers and enlisted men
in German units went insane as re-
suit of the brutal shooting of unarmed
Russians.
Now Down Unarmed Masses.
The first letter, written in October,
1914, just three months after Europe
was plunged into war, referring to the
slaughter of Russian soldiers In the
Mazurian lakes and swamps, is as fol-
lows:
TT was frightful, heart rending, as
the masses of human beings were
driven to destruction. Above the ter
rible thunder of the cannon could be
heard the heart rending cries Of the
Russians:
20 Prussians! o Prussians!'
But there was no mercy. Our cap
tain had ordered: The whole lot must
die; so rapid fire. AS I have heard
five men and enc officer on our side
went mad from those heart rendlns
cries.
Officers Joke at Slaughter.
But most Of my comrades and the
officers joked as the unarmed ana
helpless Russians shrieked for mercy
while they were being suffocated In
the swamps and shot down. The order
was: Close up and at 1t harder.
For days afterward those heart
rending yells followed me, and l dare
not think of them, or 1 shall go MAD.
There is no God, there is no morality
and no ethics any more. There are
no human beings any more. Out ohfs
beasts. Down with militarism!
This was the experience OF a Prus-
sian soldier at present wounded. IL
you are a truth loving man, please re-
ceiye these lines from a common Prtls-
sian soldier"
Wounded Men Bayoneted.
Here is the testimony of another
German soldiers on the eastern front:
Russian Poland, Dec. IS, 1914.-ln
the name of christianity l send you
these words.
My conscience forces me as a chris
ton German soldier to inform you OF
these lines.
wounded Russians are killed with
the boyonet according to orders.
And Russians who have surrendered
are often shot down in masses, accord
ing to orders, in spite Of their heart
rending prayers.
In the hope that you, as the rep
resentatiye of a christian state, Will
protest against this. I sign myself
"A German soldier and christian.
81 would give my name and regl-
ment, but these words could get me
court martialed for divulging military
| secrets"
English Shot in Groups.
This letter was from a soldier on
| the western front:
ITO the American government
Washington, z. S. A.: Englishmen VINO
have surrendered are shot down IN
small groups. With the French one is
more considerate. / ask whether men
let themselves be taken prisoner IN
order to be disarmed and shot down
afterward? Is that chivalry in battle
It is no longer a secret among the
people; one hears everywhere that re"
prisoners are taken; they are sho'
/ down in small groups.
| They say naively, We don't wan
any unnecessary mouths TO Iced
| Where there is no one to enter COM
plant there Is no judge. Us thefe'
then, no power in the world which can
| put an end to these murders and res
che the victims? Where is christianity!
| Where is right? Might is right.
"A soldier and man who Is no bar
| IA RAM