Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-08-06

Inc following letter written u
Richard H. Sdmonds, editor of The
Manufacturers Record, by Rev. ]. H
Shakespeare, an English clergyman
throws additional light on the barba
rous methods employed by the Ger.
mans in their efforts to paralyze, by q
program of 'frightfulness," the oppo-
sition of the Allies:
Baptist Union of Great Britain and
Ireland, Baptist Church House, South
ampton Row, London, June 29, 1871
Richard H. Edmonds Esq.-My Dear
Mr.. Edmonds: In your recent letter
you have passed on to me an in
quiry voicing the feeling of a great
many people in America as to what
specific statements can be given, and
proven, as to the outrages which have
been committed by the German army
in the overrun sections of Belgium and
France
1t would not be convincing for me to
set down instances of violation and
mutilation which / regard as proven
because I am personally satisfied as
to the good faith of the witnesses
Some deeds which have been reported
to me as committed by the German
soldiers are so fearful that they ought
not to be set down except under oath
and before judges. Some months ago
| was present at an microscopy SER
vice conducted by the Rev. R. J.
Campbell, then a minister at the City
Temple. Six Roman Catholic nurses
who were leaving England for Belgium
sent a note asking for our prayers.
Two or three weeks later Mr.. Camp
bell showed me a note which he had
received from them from Belgium, stat
ing that one Of their first sights was a
Belgian civilian crucifed to the wall
Of a burning house by German sold
iers. 1 cannot CERTIFY this by my own
personal observation, and if l could,
your readers would be justified in ask
ing why they should believe my state
ment uncertified and unsworn.
Fortunately, however, for the discus
sion, the evidence does not depend up
on any individual, however veracious.
AS l write, have before me:
l. The report of the committee on
alleged German outrages appointed by
his Britanic majesty's government I'M
der the Craftsmanship of Lord Bryce.
2. German atrocities in France; The
official report of the French commits
sion.
3. German Atrocities; An official in
vesti2ation by ]. H. Morgan, M. A, pro-
lessor of constitutional law in the
University of London.
4. The German White Book on the
War in Belgium; A Commentary by
Professor A. H. Struycken,
5. German Atrocities from German
Evidence, by Joseph Bedier, professor
at the College de France, consisting OF
documents issued by German authori-
tits or found upon Germans themselves
with photographs of the papers thus
found.
The official reports cited above res;
upon sifted evidence supported by Ger
man diaries, documents and official ad-
missions. To Americans l need not
labor the weight of the findings OF
Lord Bryce and his colleagues. The
French commission consisted of men of
the highest legal eminence and charac-
ter. Hundreds of instances are sub
stantiated of outrage and fiendish
cruelty by German soldiers. Some OF
them cannot be set down in public
print, but the two following are typi-
cal specimens:
al 1OIsCduS lHO SoullS NOueH were
lying in the backyard of the house;
one had her breasts cut off, the other
had been stabbed"
Two children were killed in a viii
lage, apparently Weerde, quite wan
tonly, as they were standing in the
road with their mother They were 8
or years old. and were killed with
the bayonet."
Again, the entry of German troops
into French town or village was the
signal for murder and OUTRAGE to be-
gin upon non-combatants. Take the
following instance at Luneville out OF
many:
Towards o'clock the Germans
broke into house in which were Ma
dame Dujon, her daughter aged 3, her