The Wrangell sentinel. (Wrangell, Alaska) 1909-current, 1918-08-08
German System Reckoned on
Starvation of People to Pro-
mote Imperial Ends.
Won KRIES REVEALED PLOT
Country, After Population Had Been
Systematically Done to Death, was
to Be Restocked by Settlers
From Germany.

Polaad caused by the German oc-
eupatio, was as great as that IN Bel
oilm and France. The entire heart
lessness which characterized the kat
ser's high officers is re'l Shown i" a
statement by Nr. Vernon Kellogg
prepared for pamphlet issued oy
the committee on public informa-
ton. which ire co?g.
The systematic exploitation OF hu-
man misery by the German authorities
In Poland followed the general plan
laid down by the kaiSpr's orders. In
order to prove the identity of proceed
nre II will be enough To present the
detailed report prepared specially Tor
pamphlet issued by the committee on
public information nnd written by MI
Frederic c. Walcott. A fuller and In
some ways more touching treatment
Is given In his article. Devastated
Poland in the National Geographic
Magazine for May. 1917.
September. 1917.
"Poland-RusSian PoIand-is per-
iShing. And the German high com
mand, imhued with the Prussinn sys-
tenn. is coolly reckoning on the neces-
stiles Of starving people TO promote
Its imperial ends.
West Poland. which has been Prus-
sian territory more than q hundred
years, is disappointment to Ger
many: its people obStinntely remain
Poles. This time they propose swifter
measures. In two or three years, by
grace of starvation and frightfu'ness,
they calculate East Poland will be
thoroughly made over into German
province.
"In the great Hindenburg drive one
year ago, the country WAS completely
devastated by the retrenting RUSSIAN
army and the oncoming Germans. a
million people We're driven from their
homes. Half of them periShed by the
roadside. For miles and miles. when I
saw the country. the way was Uttered
with mudsoHked garments and bones
picked clean by the crows-though the
larger bones had been gathered by the
thrifty Germans to be ground Into fer
tiliZer. Wicker baskets-the little has
ket in which the baby swings from the
rafters In every peasant home-were
scattered along the way. hundreds amt
hundreds, until one could NOT count
them. each one telling death.
Deliberate Policy OF Starvation.
"Warsaw. which had not been de-
stroyed-once Il proud city of a million
people-was utterly stricken. Poor
folks by thousands lined the streets,
leaning against the buildings. shivering
In snow and rain. too weak to lift a
hand. dying of cold and hunger. Though
the rich gave all they had, and the
poor shared their last crust, they were
starving there In the streets In droves.
'"In the stricken city. the German gov.
ernOr Of Warsaw issued PROCLAIM
ton. All able-bOilied Poles were bid
den to go to Germany 10 work. If any
refused. let no other Pole give him to
eat. not so much az n mouthful. under
penalty of German military law
at was more than the mind could
grasp. To the husband and father of
broken families, the high command
gave this decree: Leave your families
to starye; If you stay. we shall see that
you do staryo-this to hlgh-strung.
sensitive. highly organized people, this
from the authorities of II nation pro-
Tossing civili:j ton and religion TO mil
lions Of TcllCr Christians captive and
starving.
General Won Kries, the governor,
was kind enough TO explain. Canddly.
they preferred not quite so much star
walton; il might get on the nerves Of
the German soldiers. But, starvation
being present. 1t must work for Ger.
man purpose. Taking advantage OF
this wretchedness. the working men of
Poland were to be removed: the coun-
try was to be restocked with Germans
1t was country Germany needed-rich
alluvial soil-better suited to German
expansion than distant possessions. If
the Poland that was had TO perish, so
much the better for Germany.
To Make Poland German Province.
"RemOve the men. let the young and
weak. die. graft German stock on the
women. See how simple 1t is: with Il
crafty smile. General Won Kries con-
elu1ed. BY and by we must give back
freedom to Poland. Very good; It will
reappear as German province
SLOWLY, came to realize that this
monstreus. incredible thing WAS the
Prussian system deliberately chosen
by the circle around the aIl-highest.
aud kneaded into the German people
tin 1t became part Of their mind.
German people age material for
building the state-of no other account,
other people are for Germany's will to
work upon. Humanity, liberty. equality.
the rights Of others-aif foolish talk.
Democracy. an fslle dream The true
Prussian lives only for this. that the
German state may be mighty anil great.
l.