The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-21
German Efficiency

There are several rivers in Belgium.
The Vesdre, the Ambleve, the Gurlne, and
the Mouse are in the eastern part: while
the Senne, the Netic, the Dylc, and the
Demer flow thru the western part. Over
most of the rivers the Germans were DIV
iged to pass on their way thru Eclgium
in August, 1914.
Fearful that the Belgians would burn
the bridges, what 40 you suppose those
German officials did? Let me tell YOU.
They think it showed great efficiency
and foresight. | would like to know
what you think about it There were
many of these eases: but | will give on
ly single illustration.
One of the most beautiful little towns
in eastern Belgium was Fecher. For
years it had been a happy farming com
munity Everyone had his own little
home; there were no rich and no poor
The old and the young lived, worked, and
played together.
The German officers arrived in Fecher
on August 5th, 1914. Immediately they
gathered up all the people, about 900,
and drove them into an old stone church
without food or water. They then bolted
the church doors, placed sentinels az
guards, while they and their soldiers
slept in the homes and ate the food Of
these people whom they had locked in
the church.
Between the German army and the city
of Liege, which was the next city that
the German officials wanted to plumber,
is the River Meuse. Over this river is a
bridge across which the German army
was to march, 1t is the deficient -
way that the German government pro-
tected such bridges that ! want to tell
about.
On the next morning, August 9th, the
front door of the old church wa, o,'.'n-
ed and one man was let out. lmme-
diately he was shot as an example to
show those innocent people what would
happen to all if any attempted to escape.
Then All of these people were driven to
the bridge and on August 9TH were tied
onto both sides of it for four days and
nights, while the German army marched
across. To every post men and women
were fastened. Thye were tied to the
Orders and the piers. For one hundred
hours these kindly people were held there
without food, shelter, or relief of any
kind.
Here were these people suffering from
hunger, thirst, and filth, who week be-
fore were happily working their farms,
with no more thought of being interefer-
ed with than We have today. There they
shivered by night and tainted by day. If
anyone complained, he was shot, altho
| the dead body would not be removed. 1t
would be left tied to helpless neighbor
Gas an example of German efficiency
Finally on the morning of August 10Th
when the last of the German army had
entered Liege, the ropes were cut and
these poor people were left to struggle
home, only to find their houses burned
and their flocks stolen. t..
This is the kind Of government which
we are fighting. This is the kind Of
treatment that we would get were the
French and English not standing be-
tween us and the Germans. Ism it up
to us to forget our local differences and
quickly cooperate? If the boys in
France are willing to stand the brunt of
the fighting, certainly we ought to be-
anxious and glad to make our output
of ships and the supplies, the biggest
the best, and the cheapest ever.
ROGER w. BABSON.
Wellesley Hills, Mass.