The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-25

der stamp on envelope" An invest
CATION discovered that the doctor
family had not received any mes
.ge of the sort. The story had bee
started by an anonymous telephon
message that pretended to come fror
the family, but really came iron
some unide titled liar who was fur
thering the German campaign.
! A similar story in Californi;
pare~ declared that a similar mes
sage had been received by the sweet
heart of an American soldier who
was dying in German hospital. He
had sent her his watch as souvenir
from his death bed. Concealed in
the watch was a message to say that
his tongue lad been cut out and that
she would. never see him again. The
story proved on investigation to be
fake.
What appears to be forged let
ter from an American soldiers
mother is circulating in Iowa, Ne
braska and Colorado newspapers. 1t
alleges that he had been returned to
her without ears, nose, or arms; that
he saw two Red Cross nurses SINH
larly mutilated by the Germans, and
THAT the Germans ''cut prisoners
eyes out and then stand and laugh
at them"
4 A Trenton, N. j., newspaper re-
Gently published news item from
the Philadelphia Inquirer to the eff,
feet that there were in Holyoke,
Mass, ''twenty-three little Belgian
girls, ranging in age from six to ten
years." all of whom had "either one
or both hands amputated at the wrist,
the work, not of German soldiers but
of German officers" Inquiry at
Holyoke found no mutilated Belgian
girls there. There have been no Bel
gian girls brought to Holyoke, either
mutilated or otherwise. This sort of
story has the added advantage, from
the German point of view, that by
disproving it one casts a doubt Oh
all the proved and well-authenticated
cases of German atrocities commit
ted on Belgian girls durinng the early
days of the war.
AS result of the campaign to de- .
ceive and infame and confuse the
American people with fake atrocity
stories, the Military Intelligence
Branch of our War Department has
sent the following letter to news
papers that have been imposed upon:
"Atrocity stories are daily banded
around army camps abroad, they
gain credence through circulation
and frequently they are communi-
Gated to this country in news dis
patches, or soldiers letters, as fact.
Many of these stories are EXTREMITY
if not absolutely impossible
TO trace to the source of origin. Con-
sequently, we are asking editors to
refrain publishing atrocity stories,
charged against the enemy
Or against our allies, until facts en-
oraced ii. them shall have been sub
'tantiated and officially made public ,,
~ our government, or the govern
nent of one of our allies.
"This is not inspired by a desire /.
o suppress criticism of Hun cruelty.
That he has been guilty of atrocities
las been clearly proven. The re- !,
Iuest is designed to prevent vitiation ;,
f the unimpeachable case which has j.,
cen established against him by the ),
British Bryce report and the findings =
f other official agencies which have :,
Investigated instances of his cruelty. :
publication of charges of atrocities :
hat are not susceptible of proof =
7ould enable him to make a propa- .
anda attack upon the proven cases. !,
Furthermore, these atrocity stories
aspire our soldiers to commit acts
reprisal which enable the enemy >,
, launch counter cruelty propa-
anada. Publication of atrocities .
1arged against our allies affords
i'm similar opportunity. h.
General Pershing cognizant of I
lie effect Of publicity given to un- D
disseminated charges of atrocities, D
'ok occasion last July to cable il
lblic message to the War Depart m
ent, denying statements relative to u
lie atrocities charged against the m
erman army, which were being O.
ade in speeches delivered by a SER u:
'ant who had been returned from ia
e expenditionary forces to par
cipate in the Liberty Loan cam tn
lign. II
"Our request is directed particu- ii
rly against atrocity statements en- tn
'aced in soldiers letters. and we pc
Ill appreciate it if you will cooper