The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-03-30
GERMANS CUT TREES AND SHELL
VILLAGES ~ TINY RETIIsE
on WESTERN FRONT.
APPROPRIATE SUPPLIES
American Relief Supplies Cosfscated
French Men and Boys Made
Prisoners.


IL IL had not been Tor the American
Relief Commission" declared
Frcnchwoman in the City Hall of
Eeslc to-day to tho correspondent,
speaking for herself and her two lit
tie children, their pallid faces and
high cheekbones giving evidence OF
their priyations.
Whenever one went In the territory
recently evacuated by the Germans
the same story waf repeated. There
arc many other stories of harships
being told, although most of the in
habitants said the German soldiers
had been well disciplined and kept
strictly under control II was re-
poateGly asserted, however. that
within the last few weeks the Ger
mans had appropriated some of the
American relief stores TO their own
use, even TO the extent of three
fourths of the supplies. II was also
said that the Germans took possession
of the white -four, issuing black -four
instead TO the inhabitants.
Some OF the peasants encountered
in the evacuated territory were
plainly joyous at their liberation.
Others appeared to have their spirits
broken. Their attitude was one of
absolute submission to anything that
might happen. Many young child
hA haI hut
man soldiers in their lives, stared to-
day in almost stupid wonder at the
British Tonnes, clad in khaki and
wearing their steel hats.
One of the greatest ordeals the
people said they had to endure was
TO stand by and SEQ their homes
broken up by the Germans as the
soldiers were leaving. In some in
stances the French inhabitants. who
had been held virtually as prisoners
during the German occupation, had
boen segregated IN certain parts of
the villages while the work of de-
struction was going on elsewhere.
At Rouy. however, IL was stated and
reiterated by scores of persons that
the inhabitants of this village and
OF several other villages had been
gathered at Rouy-Le-Peit in GER
tain houses and told to remain in
them "a certain number of hours
while the Germans got away. While
so herded together. they declared,
the Germans had sent zoo shells into
the village. killing several persons.
The funerals which were In progress
I'm the village to-day lent color to the
story. People in other villages also
assert that they distinctly heard this
firing and thought that a battle was
in progress.
Men and Boys Taken on.
II was pitiful to motor to-day
through villages which mad been far
from the firing line and untouched
by any shells and yet were lying in
absolute ruins. Active steps are be-
ing taken by both tho British and
French to relieve the people in the
liberated zone. About the only per-
sons seen are old men, women and
children. Boys who had attained the
age of 1G years or more since the
German occupation and men who
were considered over the military
age by the French were taken off by
the Germans for work behind their
lines. Many OF these French boys
and old men had been compelled TO
work in the German trenches where
they said they also met many Bel
CLANS and Russians, the latter Of
course being prisoners of war. ]:
was asserted that one of the reasons
for the wholesale deportation of Bel
CLANS was the necessity for this
labor In constructing the new posi-
tions to which the Germans have
fallen back. The Germans wished
10 spare tho soldiers from this work
and so employed these unwilling civ
ilians and prisoners.
Tho amount of work involved in
saving down fruit trees In the evac-
uated territory is almost incalula-
BILE, and tho destruction seems to
have been carried out within the last
few days. The Germans claim that
some trees other than fruit trees
we're destroyed fer the purpose of
blocking the roads, this being justi-
fed by military law. was belied In
many places whore trees lining the
roads and deliberately cut down fell
in positions away from the roadway.
In any event the clearing OF the
roads of fallen trees was matter OF
comparatiyely few minutes.