Oxford eagle., 1918-04-11
PEOPLES FORUM.
University, Miss, April s, 1918.
The Oxford Eagle,

4
Oxford, Miss.
My dear Mr.. Price:
Is il possible tia: we have any dis
loyal citizens in Lafayette county
l came in contact with a situation at
Orrwood, this county, last Friday,
which | believe every American citi-
| zen IN our county should know about.
was asked by the County Direc-
tor Of the Third Liberty Loan to ac-
company the fam demonstration TO
this community. which was described
TO me as being one of the best COM
munities in t,.o county, and % MAKE
a talk along the line of war savinls
and The Liberty Loans. ! attempted
20 explain the method of financing
the great war, Americas par. in the
war, and why each individual must
| sperate. | discussed German "kul-
tur, and German aims as regards
our beloved country.
| ! gave a considerable number of
illustrations OF German crimes, hap
pening to give my authorities (which
was purely accidental, as / had not
thought of anyone watching for a
point 10 attack my speech), and chane-
ed 10 give two illustrations from news
paper reports of mutilation by Ger
man soldiers, stating at the time that
Ithey were newspaper reports, but
ILLUSTRATED well German "kultur" :"
When | started TO take my seat a
lmember of the audience, who, | was
told later. is Mr.. Richardson, the
tpastor Of the church at that place
arose and asked me to remain stand
| ing for a minute.
| This clergyman. this community
leader. this Il suppose) leading citi
ven began TO abuse me for giving the
newspaper illustrations, stating thai
he would see that / did not put some
thing over" on his s-innocent congrega-
tion and confiding school children He
stated that we cannot believe the
new Spapers, or all we see in them, and
referred TO a well-known condition.
.stst;ng later that it had been reported
in the press. He stated that he is re
sponsible for his flock, and intimated
that i might be an impoSter or some
one with an AK TO grind.
4 | explained as politely as / could
that if the newspaper reports should
be false that they were only two Of
the thousands of such incidents which
are published by our government,
at government expense, n
Itrztive of German crimes. offer
ing to supply citizens Of the eommun-
ity with these statements from the
German statesmen themoelveS He
had said that he is patriotic. and that
German "Kultur" is worse than he'll
itself. which made il difficult for me
TO see just how could exaggerats
~Kultur" When reminded Of tins
statement he would only 60 back tS
newspaper reports, having no other
ooint whatever.
The preacher stated in MS remark.
hat committee had been appOintet
70 investigate these alleged crimes
md had found them false. ! suppOS.
he learned this from the newspapers
When asked how long since the com
nittee reported he stated that II has
Seen a year or two but would not b.
Influenced by the reply that the gov
.rnment bulletins from Washington
Searing date of January. 1918, sucl
.rimes were described and authorize.
yiven.
The citizens Of the Orwood commun
ty, which community is seriously re
.lected upon by this man, Will be sen
ONE war books which are publishe'
~ our Government. under the direc
ion OF our national committe on Pub
ic Information, which committee j
composed of the secretaries of Stat
Var, and Navy and Mr.. Creel. On
4 these bOks, Conquest and Kultur.
$ in the Germans own words. an
German War Practices" Jan. 1915
from German sources of officia
Iroclamations and official utteranee.
etters and diaries OF captured Germ
IN soldiers. and quotations from Gel
nan newspapers. Many Of these dia
les have been published with faeSim
lie reproductions 10 guarantee auther
icity. There is a great amount c
Material which is essentially the test
nony Of neutrals, on the observation
If our national representatives befor
We entered the war. The "GeIma
White Book" published by the Germ
m government itself, shows ths
,nghtfullness is a system, with thel
md is the most damning testimon
'oncerning their Outrages. Many {
.hese outrages are worse than the Nv
! gave from the papers, II any can /