Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-10
Story Gathered
From Diary Tells
Of Hard Conditions
By william Philip simms
United Press staff correspondent


With the British Armies in the Fiel'
June 26-(By nail)-To Judge by th'
diary Of an inhabitant of Savy, recent
Ily wrested from the Germans by thu
British, the lofe Of the people in th'
Invaded districts Of France must be on'
series OF nagging and persecution. Som'
of the entries in this record of enemy
Occupation of Savy have already been
given. Here are some more:
Feb. 10 1916): A son of NJ. Dumor
tier has had to do eight days for fail
ing to salute German officer. M. Louis
Demar4y and Jules Guffroy CULVER
were condemned to IA days prison at
yermand for not saluting German.
Feb. IA; The Germans tell me there
are 100000 war widows in Germany,
that they have taken 1900 prisoners
at Verdun; that they have $4,000
Frenchmen surrounded at Verdun. Is it
ltrueP
Feb. %: The constable announces
that no beasts are to be killed unless
tour days notice is given the German
authorities.
Feb. 26: ! am told that Verdun has
been taken. We are forbidden to give
bread or tobacco to Russian prisoners
working here.
April %: Notice posted announcing
all small balloons carrying printed mat
ter which may be found, must be taken
to the Kommandaturat Holnon.
April 90: Easter Sunday Germans
passed in drinking and towards even
ing many of the Germans were drunk.
June IA; Schools closed until June 25
SO pupils can work in the fields.
June 10: Children are gathering cur
rants, cherries, strawberries, ETC., for
Germans.
July |: Bombardment last night and
today intense and uninterrupted. (Note
Battle of the Somme began July 1.)
July 6: Wagons full of wounded go
ling past.
Sept. 26: Forbidden to give food to
French prisoners forced to work on
aerodrome.
Sept. II: For not allowing Germans
to take away chest of drawers M.
Baloche has been fined 200 francs and
imprisoned Is days at Holnon and Nine.
Baloche 10 days in ST. Quentin.
Oct. 5: This morning my mother and
| went to look for some things we
needed in the cupboard. We found ev-
erything removed to make way for
shirts and things belonging to a German
who had moved in without notice.
Oct. ~ There is typhus at Savy. No
more passes win be given civilians.
Oct. is: Council discusses evacuation
of inhabitants.
Oct, 81: Great artillery combat on.
Much thieving going on.
Nov. 2: Germans intend taking every
thing, including agricultural imple-
ments, nails. Flock of sheep driven past
by NJ. -aurice Is shepherd. He said:
/" Here goes 10000 francs out of Savy"
Nov. 10: Only three cows left in
Savy.
Nov. IA: Center for ammunition dis
tribution for French on Somme, at Che
risy, blown up by German aeroplanes.
l heard explosion.
Nov. 80: Nine. Catry fined 40 francs
for giving French soldiers (prisoners)
coffee.
Nov. 30; For several days Germans
busy destroying M. Gronnier's high
wall. They have started on our garden.
Dee, | Germans destroying houses
wholesale. About 9 a. III. | heard two
loud explosions.
Dee. 12: German office clerk told
me Gen. Joffre had resigned. The Ger
mans held him in high esteem. They
said he is great general.
Dec Is: Germans enter houses tax
ing all copper they find.
Dee. 81: Germans take three large
bells from church tower. They made q
large opening and let bells fall into
street.
Dec. 25: Nothing remains in Savy.
All implements taken. All fruit trees
cut.
Dee. 80: Great furry and movement
to motor ears, lorries, soldiers, Reminds
me of market day in the Rue st. Mar
tin.
Jan. 30 (l9l7); French aeroplanes
bombed Savy last night. Some German
motor ears and lorries and soldiers
were hit.
Feb /: The Germans say Germany
win begin a submarine war.
Feb 10. Civilians here and elsewhere
forced to cut down all trees. There is
a rumor we are to be evacuated from
our homes.
Thus ends the diary, The British en-
tered Savy shortly afterwards and
found boys and girls of working age,
men and women not too old to work,
had been deported into Germany. Those
who were able danced and sang in the
streets so glad were they to be free
Of the German yoke which had been