Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-05
HUN ATROCITIES
NOT EXAGGERATED
Irving Bachelor Gives Result of
His Observations in the
War Zone.
Special Correspondence of Every Evening

Special Correspondence of Every Evening
CAMP DIX, N. ]. FEB. 5.
Tales ofGerman atroclti in this war are
under the actual happenings instead OF
over-rated, according to a statement made
by Irving Bachelor in a meeting OF Ma
tional Army officers at Camp DIX recent
ly.
He stated that his information came
from Englishofficers andenlistedImen whom
he met on the Western front. lie said it
was commonly believed among the allied
fighters in France that the only good Yer
man was dead one. Stories OF cruelties
and inhuman acts which the Germans did
to allied prisoners and the inhabitants OF
the Teuton-invaded countries were mo-
thing short of blood -curdlng. hlr Bachei-
ler said he believed them and believed also
that Americas S treatment OF Herman
soldiers must be stern and thorough
Because of the fact that the north
country sage returned from Europe a lew
weeks ago, where he was the guest OF the
English foreign office on the Western
front, the Eastern Department OF the
Y M. c. A. War Work Council, arranged
speaking appointment covering TWO days
at Camp Dix. In the early evening nc
spoke TO the National Army men, many OF
whom were from northern New ofk'
giving humorous selections from DIS DOCKS.
On the first evening. he described some
Of his war experiences to group OF oilc,
ers after the enlisted men had left the
building The group sat about the big
stove in Building No q and Mr.. Bacheller
was presented bv II L Parker, building
secretary. The author of "Eben Holden
| settled comfortably down in his chair and
| told his story The group resenbled
| nothing SO much as an old fashioned
| north country gathering around the coun-
| try store stove on winters evening
waiting for the e 10 train to come INTO
! the "deypo" with the evening mail
lie held the officers spell-bound for an
hour and half. while he told them of his
! exDcrienccs under shell FIRE, in the trench
es. at the base hospital and his Journey 10
the front :
Il stood at one Of the biggest lines OF
| communication one day. said he ne
traffic was heavier than it ls on Fifth ave-
nue. at 3 o clock on a sunny afternoon IL
seemed as If all the nations OF the earth
were going up TO the end of the world.
''IrivoIoIs France Is no more. W hen
someone sent unclean plays down from
Paris for the entertainment OF the pollu
near tho front, thinking that was the hInd
az entertainment they wanted, the pollu
sent back word, That is not what we want
We are not pigs Ii means q lot 70 those
! men to see their dearest friends shattered
| TO bits beside them on the hrng tlne.
| They have changed
"ln England before the war there was q
verv wcll-dctined dcgeneracy. But that
| IS changing now A friend Of mne went TO
an English home to tea one afternoon. Inc
| hostess said, Have you heard OF the great
| honor which has come to this house, The
| guest admitted that he had not. Our son
! was killed in France two weeks ago.
/ In this connection with the return OF
high ideals to the people engaged IN the
/, war because or the sacrifices they are max
ing. Mr.. Bacheller spoke in the highest
! terms of the Y. NJ C. 4. in the war: l1e
Z. declared ii IS the one great 'spintuallzne
factor I in this war. :,
When the war Is over, think we VII
| ali say il was good thing. The prlce We
are paving is tremendous, but think 1t VII
be worth while In world regeneration.
Optimism, with capital = and quot
cd. was the keynote IN Mr.. Bacheller'
talk TO the officers. lie said there could be
no doubt that the ultimate victory woulc
be with the Allies and despite the surier'
ing. the effect for good on the peoples
engaged was evident already, even IL
| America