The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-02-21

pe-.a ia. lacu ~. uuoc. .,.... PC. ooAna
supervision. direction, and approval
'sTaking the physical evidence offer.
ed before our own eyes. and buttress-
ing it with the statements made to US,
not only by natives. but German SOL
diers and German officers. we could
reach but one conclusion, which was
that here, in such and such place,
those in command had said to the
troops: Spare this town and these
people, And there they had said :
Waste this town and shoot these peo-
ple.' And here the troops had discrim-
,nately spared, and there they had in
discrlminately wasted. in exact &C.
cordance with the word of their supe-
riors."-Irvin Cobb, Speaking Of Prus-
slams. New York, 1917, PIP. 1924.
Hoodwinked German People.
These ideas, then, were systemat'
lcally impressed upon the military and
official classes. It was necessary,
however, to work upon the minds Of
the German people. so that they might
lend themselves to the inhuman poll.
cies advocated by the military leaders.
To do this was difficult, for, as has
been shown often. many Of the civil.
Ian leaders of public opinion, time and
again, expressed their horror Of the
new spirit which was animating the
military authorities. The reichstae
debates give ample evidence Of this,
and the task OF the military leaders
would have been still more difficult II
the reichstag had any real power.
(See War Information Series No. 8,
1.-The Government Of Germany" see
also Gerard's my Four Years in Ger.
many" chapter 2.)
The military authorities and those
in sympathy With them have done all
In their power to stimulate hatred OF
other peoples in the minds Of the Ger.
mans. A campaign OF education be-
'ore the war was carried on with the
object of impressing upon the minds
If the Germans the treacherOus nature
If the peoples against whom the mill
.ary leaders were anxious to wage
var. Not only were the Germans grad
tally led to believe that it was neces-
'ary to fight defensive war against
foes. but also that these
oes would violate every precept Of hu-
nanity, and consequently must be
rushed without mercy as measure
# self-defense. The fruits of this
Of suspicion and hatred be-
'ame evident when almost at the out
freak Of the war many Germans be-
anne possessed with the belief that
he whole population Of Belgium. the
irst country to be invaded, had viO-
ated every rule of honorable warfare,
hat the francs-tireurs (guerrillas)
rere everywhere present doing their |
leadly work in secrecy or under the
over Of darkness; that women and
ven children were mutilating and kill
ng the wounded or helpless prisoners.
Extract from a letter written by a !
}erman soldier to his brother. (This
etter. now in the possession Of the
)nited States government, was obtain ,
d for this pamphlet from Mr.. ]. c. i
'rew, formerly secretary to the United
tates embassy at Berlin.)
November 4, 1914.
'The battles are everywhere ex- /
remedy tenacious and bloody. The !
,nglishmen we hate most and we want /
D get even with them for once. While
ne now and then sees French prison
RS, one hardly ever beholds French
lack troops or Englishmen. These
ood people are not overlooked by our !
that sort Of people Is |
lowed down without mercy. The
,sses Of the Englishmen must be enor-
lous. There is desire to wipe them
ut, root and ALL"
Urged to Kin Without Pity.
Extract from another letter to q
rother:
chleswig. 25, IA (Aug. 25, 1914l.
"Dear Brother, You viii
hortly go to Brussels with your regi-
lent, as you know. Take care to pro-
ect yourself against these civilians,
specially in the villages. Do not let
nyone come too near. They are very !,
ever, cunning, fellows, these Bel
Ians; even the women and children
"a armed and fro thoi~ o,,re Nnvn~