Gunnison news-champion., 1918-09-13

had now begun to bear their natnral
fruit. But he voice a PROTEST was
not entirely alent. A considerable
number of Letters By German soldiers
who were shocked b. he 0ssnAn
atrocities were sent Do AmbassaAoe
Gerard. because hs was the reprssenfa-
tive of tie United States, the leading
neutral nation. The three lettorD
which follow. In translation, were r.
ceived By the American ambassadoe
from German soldiefA
Here II the protest Of Q German SOL
der. an eyewitness Of the slaughter Of
Russian soldiers In the Aasurian lakes
and swamps:
TT was frightful. heart-rending, a.
these masses Of human beings were
driven to destruction. Above the ter
rible thunder Of the cannon could be
heard the heart-rending cries Of the
Russians: % Prussiansi o Prussians r
but there was no mercy. Our captain
had ordered: The whole lot must die !;
20 rapid nre.' Al I have heard, i've
men and one oiiicer on our side went
mad from these heart-rending cries.
But most Of my comrades and the ON
GERS joked as the unarmed and helpless
Russians shrieked for mercy while
they were being suffocated in the
swamps and shot down. The order
was: Close up and at It harderr For
days afterwards those heart-rending
yells followed me and dare not think
Of them or shall 60 mad. There IL no
God. there II no morality and no ethics
any more. There are no human beings
any more. but only beasts. Down with
militarism.
"If You are q truth-loving man,
please receive these lines from Q COM
mon Prussian soldier"
Following 10 the testimony Of another
German soldier on the eastern front :
"Russian Poland. December 18. II.
''In the name Of Christianity I send
you these words.
wounded Russians are killed with
the bayonet according to orders.
And Russians who have surrender
ed are often shot down In masses ac-
cording to orders, In spite Of their
heart-rending prayers.
"In the hope that you. ~ the repre-
sentative Of Christian state. Will
protest against this, sign myself,
"A GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRIS
TIAN."
The third letter, from the western
front. shows the same horror Of the
system Of which the writer was wit
ness.
ITO the American Government,
Washington, q. 8. A.
"Englishmen who have surrendered
are shot down In small groups. With
the French one Is more eonslderate.
ask whether men let themselves be
taken prisoner In order to b. dis
armed and shot down afterwardf Il
that chivalry In battlef It II no longer
. secret among the people; one hears
everywhere that few prisoners are
taken; they are shot down in small
groups. They ~ naively: We don't
want any unnecessary mouths to feed.
Where there u no one to enter COM
plaint there II no Judge II there
then no power In the world which can
put an end to these murders and res
cue the victimsf Where IL Chris
tianityf Where b rlshtf Might 10
right.
"A SOLDIER AND A MAN WHO Is
NO BARBARIAN"
Socialists oppess System
Many Of the Germans, ~ has been
already indicated, do not believe the
reports Of the atrocities committed BY
the Belgian civilians and refuse to ac-
cept the system of frightfulness. The
vorwaerts. the leading socialist paper.
which has Z very wide circle Of read
ers, has opposed the policy Of fright
fulness. All honor to its editors who
have 20 courageously opposed the pow
eFfu1 military aufhnrlfvt tn aHltorsal