Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-03
THE 'IRONHAND'
THE POLICY OF
HIGH C0NMAND
Order Concerning Mutiny Of Ten
Thousand German Soldiers
Comes to Light.
MEN FROM ALSACE-LORRAINE
Soldiers From Alsace Are Com
PEELED to Fight for Ger.
man Autocracy.
BY LOWELL BILLET

- 50 'NSlu tSllcIl0NliN/
Paris, Sept. L.. QBy MaiIl-In a
series of interesting documents and
army orders, which have fallen into the
hands of the French army, the German
High Command itself furnishes the
most eloquent reply to the claims of
Bethmann-Hollweg and Hertling that
Alsace-Lorraine is German to the core.
These documents prove beyond a
doubt that the Germans are forcing
the people of Alsace-Lorraine to fight
against their kindred, and that Alsace-
Lorraine at heart is French.
One of the captured army orders
reveals the fact that over 10000 Al
sacians mutinied at the Beverloo depot
in Belgium during May. According to
the order, the mutiny was Suppressed
pitilessly," M all soldiers were
ordered to assist in rounding up the
mutineers who We're trying to make
their way towards Holland. In other
documents the crown prince orders
that soldiers from Alsace-Lorraine
must never be employed in critical
situations and are to be used in the
front lines only when in company
with trusted troops.
During the preparations for the
great Marine offensive, the Germans
became alarmed by the number 70 de-
sertions of Alsacians. Gen. Buchholz
issued al order that under no pre-
text must they be utilized in the first
line during the present operations
and recommends that severe meas
ures' be taken in cases of d~isIoyalty.''
Text of Order
The order is dated July A. 1918, and
reads as follows:
"Xth Army, No. 1882 42nd Divi.
sion Ia 1872 Secret MYT65. The
Crown Princes Group of Armies has
reported, that because of the number
of assertions Of Observation-Disclosures
recently, they must under no pretext
be utilized in the first lines during the
present operations. Consequently,
divisions are ordered that all soldiers
from Alsace-Lorraine or others whose
origin does not give sufficient guaran-
tee of their loyalty, should be until
further notice kept out of tie zone of
combat. Each regiment is responsible
Tor the loyalty of Alsaca.Lorrainians
remaining in the first line
Buchloltz orders that the men re-
from the lines be sent back for
agricultural york and guard duty UNI
der reliable guards. He asks each bat
TALON to report within 4 days the
number of Alsace- Lorrainians in each
regiment, the number who can be
trusted in the front lines and an
opinion of the service of these men.
The captured papers throw con-
siderable light On the manpower situa-
ton of the German high command.
They prove that the major number of
divisions brought from the Russian
front in the spring We're 2nd-class
divisions M divisions composed of
subject peoples whose loyalty to Ger
many was open to doubt.
Recommends Iron Hand
In a confidential order issued to all
officers in the early spring, Gen.
Won Bohn explained that many of the
divisions being brought from the
east front for reinforcements were
composed of a large proportion Of
men from Alsace-Lorraine, and that
past unhappy experiences proved
tlat they were prone to infidelity,
desertion and treason Generdal Won
Bohn suggests that such tendencies
must ''be treated with an iron hand,''
but that Germany could not afford to
diminish her chances by zone hairs
breath" by dispensing with the use
of these men. In his order II "A, No.
81, Pers." and dated general head
quarters, Mar. 2, Won Bohn says:
Mo longer must the excuse be
entertained that because ,of the pres.
erce Of parents or relatives on the
French side, soldiers from Alsace.
Lorraine can be withheld from the
fighting lines. IT must be clearly ea.ii
planned to them that Ii their parents
or relatives were as scrnpulous as
themselves they would run no risk.
However, the contrary has been prey.
ed long ago. i Tile soldiers fruin IA assisssrp.
Lorraine must fight againat the
French conquest, Tho same al though
Alsace,LorraffiD were II part or tie
German empire, We gan no ionlynr
keep thesn wa from The Western
front
Tl,cltotdef revealing the biz mu,lty
at Bevnrlpo rssitds III follows I'D
BI III. aO4a !. lib secret "a ha fapntb
of May iii the depot at Iltsyerioss there
wus d mntiny BIZ (which 10000 nolaiets
sIk AlstacGs LORRAINE t5artiGff3Aftsd tsfle