The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-05
KULTUR PROPONENTS
DESPOL CEMETERIES
Amazing Fines and Penalties Laid
Upon French by Huns for Trifles.
BY HENRY WOOD.

WITH The -FhENCh ARMIES
May / Thy maiD.-Germany's efforts
to "kulturize" the occupied districts
of France and Belgium by the intro
duction OF German system and or
ganiEation" reached such a degree
that the civil population was sub
jected to fines OF the most extortion
ate amounts IL their watches an"
clocks did not agree to within few
seconds of the official time as estao-
lished by the "KommandRteur."
Up to date five cemeteries have
been found at Bray st. Christophe,
Champion, Amy, Beuraignes, ana
Crapeaumesnil where all of the more
promising looking tombs had been
dynamited and the collins stripped
not only of the metal lining, but OF
any objects of silver that adorned
them. Not in a single instance were
the bodies ever placed back in the
tombs, and it can only be supposed
that the remains were scattered to
the four winds.
Every new town retaken by the
French armies reveals fresh facts re-
garding the almost incredible system
employed by the Germans to Ger
mamie" the local Inhabitants.
Forced to show Watches.
Officers had the right to stop any
civilian on the street and demand that
he show his watch. II the hands va
ried even to1he slightest degree from
the German official time" as carried
by the officer. the unfortunate civil
ian was heavily fined.
Officers could also enter private
l. ~ clocks If the lat-
ter did not have enough German sys-
TEN and organization" in their mech
anism to register the hour as fixed
BY the "Kommandateur" the unfortu-
nate house owner was subjected TO
a fine so severe that 1t amounted 10
confiscation OF property.
While the system OF fines original
w was ostensibIy for the purpose OF
bringing the civil population up TO
the German standard of discipline
system and organization" this pre-
text has now been completely aban-
doned.
Forced as the Germans now are TO
realize that they cannot hold in
dehnitely the occupied districts OF
France and Belgium, the ffne system
is now being used for the open pur-
pose of extorting the last penny that
the civil population possesses while
they still have 1t in their power to en-
force the eXtortion.
At Brussels alone the fines now
being imposed are declared to amount
to millions of francs every month.
some Remarkable Deeds.
Some idea of the nature and amount
of these fines can be CLEANED from the
following cases in towns recently re-
taken by the French.
At Guivry, two horses were in some
mysterious manner injured in a stable.
For this four inhabitants who knew
nothing about the AFFAIR were found
guilty and forced to pay 5000 marks.
At Ugny-le-Gay a house was burned
down by the Germans themselves.
Nevertheless, they charged that the
owner had set fire to the structure.
The village as a whole was held re-
sponsIble and forced to pay 10000
marks.
At the same village a civilian was
heavily fined for driving a horse
which the Germans declared was not
sufficiently curry-combed. As
search of the mans premises failed to
reveal sufficient money to pay the
fine. he was given fifteen days in
prison.
Failure in every instance to pro
duce the amount of cash fined by the
Germans is invariably followed I
either by deportation or long prison \
sentences.
At Channy three prominent citizens \
were imprisoned. An offer was then 4
made to release them upon the sur
render of a certain amount in munich
pal bonds These the three men
finally secured. whereupon the Ger 4,
mans. deciding they wanted the
demanded in cash instead of
bonds, refused to accept the latter,
and confined the three men in a hu-
mid room without fire. light or bed
ding and die OF a pint OF coffee in
the morning and a piece OF bread in
the evening.
The men were kept in this condition
until friends succeeded in raising in
the neighboring villages the sum de