Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-01-10

debates give ample evidence or this,
and the task of the military leaders
would have been still more difficult If
the reichstag had any real power.
(See War Information Series No. 3.
"The Government OF Germany" see
also Gerard's "My -Four Years in Ger
many chapter p
The military authorities and those
in sympathy with lllem have done all
in their power TO stimulate hatred of
other peoples in the minds of the Ger
mans A campaign Of education be-
fore the war was carricd/on with the
object Of impreSsing upon the minds
of the Germans the treacherOuS nature
of the peoples against whom the mill
tary leaders were anxious to wage
war. Not only We're the Gernars grad
ually led TO believe that it was neces-
sary TO fight Il defensive war against
unScrupulous foes, hut also that these
foes would violate every preccpt of hui
manity, and consequently must be
crushed without mercy ms Il measure
of self-defense. The fruits of this
campaign of suspicion and hatred be
came evident when almost Mt the out
break of the war many Germans be-
came possessed with. the belief that
the whole population of Belgium, the
first country 70 be invaded, had viO-
lated every rule of honorable warfare,
that the francS-tireurs (snerrillas)
were everywhere present doing their
deadly work in secrecy or under the
cover of darkness that women and
even children were mutilating and Kill
ing the wounded or helpless prisoners.
Extract from a letter written by a
German soldier to his brother. Crhis
letter, now in the possession of the
United States government, was obtain
ed for this pamphlet from Mr. j. G.
Grew, formerly secretary TO the Unlte0
States embassy at Berlin)
November 4, 1914.
"The battles are everywhere ex-
tremely tenacious and bloody. The
Englishmen we hate most and we want
to get even with them for once. While
one now and then sees French prison
erS. one hardly ever beholds French
black troops or Englishmen. These
good people are not overlooked by our
infantrymen: that sort Of people is
moved down without mercy. The
losses Of the Engishmen must be enor-
nous. There is a desire TO wipe them
out, root and all"
Urged to Kill Without Pity
Extract from another letter TO q
brother:
SchIeswig. %. S, II (Aug. %. 1910.
"Dear Brother. You VIII
J shortly 60 10 Brussels with your regi'
ment, ms you know. Take care to pro
tect yourself against these civilians
especially in the villages. Do not lei
| anyone come too near. They are very
| clever. cunning. fellows. these Bel
gians: even the women and children
are armed and fire their guns. Nevel
90 inside house, especially alone
If You take anything to drink make
the inhabitants drink first, and keep a
distance from them. The newspa
pers relate numerous cases in whlcl
thev have fired on our soldiers willis
they were drinking. You soldiers mus
spread around so much fear of your
selves that no civilian will ventur
TO come near you. Remain always II
the company Of others. hope tina
You have read the newspapers and ina
Won know how 10 behave. Above a
have no compassion for these cu
throats. Make for them without pit
with the butt-end Of your rifle and til
bayonet.
"Yomr brother. WILL
The emperor gave his sanction
thc rcnoytS of the brutal acts of TN
Bclgiams in telegram to Presider
Wilson.
Berlin. via Copenhagen, Sept, 4 III
81 feel it my duty, Mr. PreSiden
to inform you as the most promlneI
representative of principles OF humal
ity. that after taking the French for
ress of Longwy, my troops dlScoVere
tbere thousands of dumdum cartridge
made by special government machll
erv. The same kind of ammunltlc
was found on killed and wounde
troops and prisoners, also on the Brl
ish troops. You know what terrib
wounds and suffering these bullets Il
0ict and that their use is strictly TO
hidden by the established rules of i
ternational law | therefore addre
solemn protest to you against tn
kind of warfare, which, owing to Il
> methods of our adversaries, has b
\ come one of the most barbarous know
in history. Not only have they er
: Moved these atrociouS weapons b
u the Belgian government has openly e
: couraged and long since carefully pr
e pared the participation of the BeIgli
+ civil population in the lighting. Tl
e atrocities committed even by wont
i tsand priests in this guerrilla warfaI
J. also on wounded soldiers. medical st'
r and nurses. doctors killed hospita
$ attacked by rife fire. were such tn
s. nv generals finally were compelled
i fake the most drastic measures in
d dor 10 punish the guilty ana to frigl
IS on the hloodthirsty population fro
e. continuing their work of vile murd
le and horror. Some villages ana ev