Williams news., 1918-01-10
GERMAN WAR
 PRACTICES
(Continued from last week. German Soldiers Protest
 Against Atrocities

II mus the IeachlngS or the German War Book and of the German apostles of frightful- ness, suspicion, and hatred, had now begun to bear their natural fruit. But the voice of protest was not entirely silent. A con- siderable number of letters by German soldiers who were shocked by the German atroci- ties were sent to Ambassador Gerard, because he was the representative of the United States, the leading neutral na- tion. The three letters which follow, in translation, were re- ceived by the American ambas- sador from German soldiers. | They were obtained from this pamphlet from secretary Grew, they illustrate both the system and the horror of it, which the writers felt.
 Here is the protest of Ger man soldier an eyewitness of the slaughter of Russian sol diers in the Masurian lakes and swamps:
 ''It was frightful, heart-rend- ing, as these masses of human beings were driven to destruc- tion. Above the terri ble thun- der of the cannon could be heard the heartrending cries of the Russians: o Prussians! O Prussians !'-but there was no mercy. Our Captain had or dered: The whole lot must die; so rapid fire.' As I have heard, five men and one officer went mad from those heart-rending cries. But most of my com rades and the officers joked as the unarmed and helpless Rus sians shrieked for mercy while they were being suffocated in the swamps and shot down. The order was: Close up and at it harder!' For days after wards those hea-rt-rending yels followed me and I dare not think of them or I shall go mad. There is no God, there is no mo- rality and no ethics any more. There are no human beings any more, but only beasts. Down with militarism.
 "This was the experience of a Prussian soldier. At present wounded; Berlin, October 22, 1914.
 eff you are a truth loving man, please receive these lines from common Prussian sol- dier."
 Here is the testimony of an- other German soldier on the Eastern front. Russian Poland, Dec. IS, "A
 ''In the name of Christianity | I send you these words.
 "My conscience forces me as ] 8 Christian German soldier to inform you of these lines.
 Wounded Russians are kill ed with the bayonet according to orders.
 And Russians who have sur are often shot down in masses according to orders, in spite of their heart-rending prayers.
 "ln the hope that you, as the representative of a Christian State will protest against this, sign myself,
 "A German Soldier and
 Christian. ..- --
 "I would give my name and regiment. but these words could get me court-marshaled for divulging military secrets. ,"
 The third letter, from the Western front, shows the same horror of the system of which the writer was a witness.
 "To the l,
 American Government, 1,
 Washington, U. s. A.
 fEnglishmen who have sur rendered are shot down in small groups. With the French one is more considerate. I ask . whether men let themselves be , taken prisoner in order to be ] disarmed and shot down after wards? Is that chivalry in bat tie? It is no longer a secret i the people; one hears that few prisoners : are taken; they are shot down , in small groups. They say na- { ively: We don't want any un- ; necessary mouths to feed.