The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-07-03
GERMANS BOAST
| OF own CRUELTY
FELL Neutral Nations How Church
and House Are DE
stroyed. ..
IS MEANT AS 4 WARNING.
Circular Reeltes Amount Of Booty
seized In France and Belgium,
Sss and Mistfeatment Of English
Prisoners OF War.

Washington. - Teutonic frightfuls
hess as practiced in France and Bel
GUM has been made the subject Of
German warning to neutral nations OF
the fate which they may expect Il
they take up arms against the central
powers.
Z IF there are any still thinking OF
siding with the allies let them take
warning from the fate Of others" says
the warning. It is in the form of a.
circular, which recites the amount Of
booty seized in France and Belgium,
the number of churches damaged and
destroyed, the money wrung from the
stricken inhabitants and finally the
deliberate mistreatment Of English
prisoners of war.
German propagandists have flooded
Spain with this document printed in
Spanish, and copies have come into
the possession of the state depart
ment. Having established its German
origin the department made public
this translation: z S;... ss
Besides an untold amount Of war
material captured on the battlefield
the Germans have taken possession OF
incalculable booty in France and Bel.
GUM, including
High grade watches. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. ~
Average watches .......................6. v16
Underwear ..................t...s.. l6,Utd
Embroideries and women's hand.
kerch1efs ,.oz
Umbrellas and tparasols .............. 8,7O6
Silver spoons ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1,6l6
s'These figures show large in
crease over those Of the campaign
against France in 1901. ~ i
"Punish Catholic Churches"
'In Belgium, besides many art
treasures, they have confiscated old
paintings valued at 100000 pesetas.
"Due to the treachery Of Cardinal
MERCER and other priests, who did
their utmost to stir the priests
against the good-hearted German sol
/ diers, they were forced to teach q Sc
| we're lesson to the Belgian and French
Catholics. e..
| iCathedrals destroyed ......................
Rendered unserviceable .................
Il Churches destroyed ....................... n.
| Rendered unserviceable ............:..... "a
Il Total ......................''..'o 90
TN Poland also Large number OF
churches have been destroyed for mil
Hilary reasons. The figures concerning
these have not yet been published.
"As result Of the stupid stubborn
ness Of the Belgian people in contin-
fuing the struggle after their: bloody
and final defeat on the battlefield, the
German officers were forced, against
their viii, to impose punishments on
many rich individuals and wealthy cit
les. This has contributed the follow
ing amounts to the German treasury:
b. ssl:- ID IS Pesetas.}
Punishments ..............s......'..S IOoo,Ooot
Security !o'vvoSSvv
ReprlSalS io,loV,ON
Forced contributions .............. 4,320,S0O
Total .....................:... 12o, 01,35o
sThis amount includes a fine Of TO-
600 pesetas imposed on the Alsatian
children who insist on speaking the
French language and refuse to study
the beautiful German language. These
statistics are most useful warning to
the neutral countries.
IF there are any still thinking OF
siding with the allies let them take
warning from the fate Of others"
Boast Also of Cruelty.
It is claimed also in this document
that more than $4,000 British have
been made prisoners, and in this con-
nection the following statement Is