The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-11-08
GERMAN SOLDIERS SHUDDtp
AT OWN ATROCITIES.

The fact that German soldiers,
themselves appealed to Ambassador
Gerard as 'the repres ntative OF a
Christian state" to protest against
the atrocities and butcheries III
which their commanders forced
them to participate, will be disclosed
in forthcoming issue of pamphlet
bv the committee on public informa-
ton. entitled German War Prac-
tice."
One German soldier, conscience
stricken with the massacre OF Rus
sian prisoners, implored the ambas-
sador to protest and signed his let
ter "a German Soldier and Chris
tan
Another. who through the ambas-
Sador. addressed his appeal to the
American government against the
butchery of prisoners and signed his
letter "A Soldier and Man, who is nc
Barbarian
This was the protest of German
soldier, an eyewitness OF the
slaughter of Russian soldiers in the
Mazurian lakes and swamps:
1T was frightful, heartrending, as
these masses Of human beings were
driven to destruction. Above the
terrible thunder of the cannon could
be heard the heart-rending cries OF
the Russians: o PrusSianS; 0
PruSsians! ! but there was
no mercy. Our captain had orders:
The whole lot must die; so rapid
fire. AS | have heard, five men and
one officer on our side went mad
from those heart-rending cries. But
most of my comrades and the officers
iOked as the unarmed and help
less Russians shrieked for mercy
while they were being suffocated in
the swamps and shot down. The
order was: Close up and at it
harderr For days afterwards those
heartrending yells followed me and
l dare not think of them or I shall
go mad. There is no God, there is
no morality, and no ethics any more.
There are no human beings any more.
but only beasts. Down with mill
tarism.
Wounded Russians Killed.
"This was the experience of a
PruSsian soldier. At present
wounded; Berlin, Oct. %, 1914.
IF you are a truth loving man,
please receive these lines from a
common prusSian soldier"
This was the testimony of another
German soldier on the east front:
Russian Poland, Dec. Is, 1914.
I'm the name Of Christianity | send
you these words.
my conscience forces me as a
Christian German soldier to inform
you of these lines.
Wounded Russians are killed
with the bayonet according to orders.
and Russians who have surren-
dered are often shot down in masses.
according to orders, in spite of their
heartrending prayers.
In the hope tina you, as the rep
resentatiVe of a Christian state. will
protest against this, / sign myself.
"a GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRIS
TIAN.
Il would give my name and regi-
men but these words could get me
eourtmartialed for divulging mill
tary secrets
This letter was from a soldier on
the western front:
TO the American Government,
Washington, IT, S. A.:
'Englishmen who have surren-
render d are shot down in small
groups. With the French one is
more considerable. | ask whether
men let themselves be taken prisoner
in order to be disarmed and shot
down afterwards? Is that chivalry
in battle? 1t is no longer a secret
among the people; one hears every
where that few prisoners are taken;
they are shot down in small groups.
They say naively: We don't want
any unnecessary mouths to feed
Where there is no one to enter COM
plant there is no Judge Is there
then no power in the world which
can put an end to these murderers
and rescue the victims? Where is
Christianity? Where is right. Might
is right.
"a SOLDIER AND MAN WHO rs NO
BARBARIAN"