The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-01-17
CHARGES Of GER.
MAN BRUTALI1IES
CLEARLY. PROVEN
DR.. PERRY IN SAUK CENTRE AID
DRESS GIVES VIVID RECITAL
OF ATROCITIES.
he SPENT MONTHS In FRANCE
RED CROSS ACTIVITIES SHOULD
BE CONTINUED LOCAL
BRANCH BENEFITS.

MlCu, VINO spoke In Sauk tenure last
Thursday night under the auspices of
the American Red Cross, faced an
audience of about 800 people. For
two reasons, the auditorium was not
as full as ON previous patriotic oc-
casions; the night was bitterly cold,
making it almost impossible for the
rural communities to come and for
those on the outskirts of the city;
the hour set for the lecture was at
1880 which meant that some would
either have to arrive late or not at
and a large number chose the latter of
the two evils. IT,
The speaker, before the outbreak of
the war, was a Presbyterian minister
in the town from which he halls. After
the war is over, to express his own
words, he expects to "renew diploma
tic relations with God" but it is hard
to believe that his relations with the
Almighty are even now anything but
Of the best. He lectured for a short
time after the United States declared
war on Germany, then went to France
where he remained for six months in
connection with the Y. M. G. A. At
the end of that time he was recalled
to America to lecture under the Red
Cross. AS soon as the Red Cross have
decided he has talked to a sufficient
number of people, DR.. Perry hopes tc
be able to go back to France with the
"boys."
Sank Centre has now heard three
men on the war proposition: DIR. Bur-
ton, Congressman Miller and DIR.
Perry. Each man has approached the
subject from, an entirely different
angle, and the Herald does not doubt
but that the next speaker will have
still another point of contact. Ger
man Atrocities" composed the theme
of the last speech, based on facts thai
aone dare dispute. For over an hour
DR.. Perry drove home horrors that all
knew, but none had faced before.
Starting with an instance that seemed
too terrible to be possible, the speaker
relentlessly and fearlessly rammed
zone fact after another into the numb
ed minds of his audience, who sat
there frozen with a sickening horror
that became anguish as the truth
forced itself into a realization.
The Herald hesitated somewhat in
preparing the report of the evening.
Shouldn't but touch lightly on the
speech, calling it an exposition of
German atrocities, or should it be
faithful in every particular to the
country for which it stands and spare
no point, as its conscience dictated
There will be those, who will ,criticise
and those who will doubt the truth of
the statements. Those that do are
pro-Germans nothing less. Every
word DR.. Perry spoke was backed by
the United States government, proved
beyond all dispute. The same govern
ment backs the Herald in this article,
a true report of the speech. It is no
pleasant duty to publish this, but
that makes it no less duty. J.
DR.. Perry emphasized at the begin
ming, that he was not preaching
hate" as his remarks might indicate.
His object was to startle America in
to sense of her responsibility. Even
so, it is hardly believable, that Ger
many is not due such hate, of a bitter
ness such as the world never knew, so
that during all the years to come, as
long as a beast who fought. for Ger
many shall live, he shall beya thing
despised. The physical sufferings of
the wretched victims who have fallen
into Germany's power thus far, viii
be as nothing compared to the endless
mental hell which shalt torture those
who have caused such suffering. Ger
man sympathizers in America are be-
ginning to sscurry to cover under the
forgiving arms of their adopted coun-
try and it is well for them to do so.
We must all be sympathetic with the
Allied, the right side, for after the
war will be too late and the brand of
Cain which shall sfall on Germany
shall fall also on the German sympa-
thizer, wherever he is. Far easier
would it be for this nation to be
punished in kind than to be Stunned
and despised until the end of time.
For Germany knows what she is doing,
says DIR. Perry, and therefore is not
excusable.
The speaker mentioned London in