Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-23
GERMANS PLUMBER,
THREATEN DEATH
.~F'f
Everything Of Value Taken
From Ukrainians by the
kaiser's Soldiers.
METHODS ARE REvEAlEn
METHODS ARE REVEALED
BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.

BY EDWARD PRICE BELL.
CableEram to The Evening Star and
chicago Daily News. CopyFight, 1918.
LONDON. October 23.-From a neu-
trail who left Osnowa- near Kharkov,
in the Ukraine, in September I have
the following story Of the German oc-
cupation:
THE German troops arrived in small
detachments. The first draft came
in for collision at Osnova station,
and the Germans by way Of showing
thier disapproval she1led Kharkov.
The Inhabitants, were painfully sur
prisec at this strange beginning, for
they had been intending to give the
Germans hearty welcome. This de-
clslon had not been governed by any
love for the Germans, but people of
the more decent kind looked to the
GermaH1 to put an end to the nillag-
ing and disorders of the revolution.
They soon discovered that the Ger
mans had forgotten more about pillag-
ing than the holsheviki had ever
learned. --.s.
Cloven Hoof Reveals Self.
after the first drafts arrived the
Germans increased by leaps and
bounds and in short time the gar
command of an elderly general. Most
OF the men belonged to the old
classes, but theer was fair sprinkline
of young men whose social status en-
abled them to shiFk the more ardu-
GUS duties of their profession. It
revealed itself.
The Germans were hardly settled
in their hillets before they entered
upon a campaign of requisitioning
which could only reduce the country
to famine. From ten to twelve trains
laden with loot used to pass through
OsnoWa station every day. Even chill
afen were robbed by the German SOL
diery. Small pickets under command
of sergeant or sub-lieutenant were
established in each district. AS soon
as q picket commander was informed
of the existence Of any produce on
farm OF that the inhabitants had an
article of value he would go and
requlsltlon the produce or article in
the name of the German government,
at the same time undertaking to pay
a convenient price for the goods. The
owner would then be given a requi-
sitioning bond which could only he
cashed at the military command head
quarters in Kharkov.
Threat Of Machine Guns.
In this way a peasant had to give
up for 900 rubies ($3aQ) a COW for
which he had paid 200 rubles (s750}.
ants refused to yield UP anything
Machine guns were brought uty and
it was announced that II the amount
of fodder requisitioned was not forth
coming within two hours the guns
would open fire. The peasants obey
ed. The Germans took away every
thing they could lay their hands on,
especially cereals, horses and draft
animals. The General Omnibus Com
pany of Kharkov, a Belgian firm, had
service had to be suspended in conse-
quence. In vain did the director of
the company protest to the German
authorities that they were running
him and fnconveniencing the public
The officers merely safd:
"fYou seem to labor under the de-
fusion that we are here to bother
our heads about your interests. The
only question that concerns US is to
win the war and to take -eyerything
for. that. The rest does not interest
THE bearing of the German troops
in Kharkov was slovenly. They were
more like bands of laborers than SOL
diers. However, the German general,
ordered military band It to piay e eVerx
morning in front of the house Of the com
mandant, leaving no stone unturned to
impress the civil pop,IIation with the
idea that the Germans had eeme to
stay. A workman having offered a
Ukrainian passport was told by an
official at the headquarters that it was
year. said the ofilciaL you will have
German papers and then you win be
able to travel with greater ease
The censorship In .Kharkoy is strict
Only German victories are allowed to
be published. In the month Of June
the fall Of .verdun was officially an
army had advanced to within few
kilometers Of Paris. ~.
+ For1fgn Consuls ousted.
1--WE months sge tbs .eemmspdant
ordered, the foreign conspls to leave
the town. The French consul, = wine
trader with large business iatarests
and this most respected man in town,
having lived there thirty years, wsnt
to. the governor Of Khrakov, who
happened to be one Of his Oldest
for you said the governor. for / no
longer command anything. They have
left me only my titie!s The consul
left the next day.
Another Frenchman. who had lived
in Kharkov twenty years, also re-
ceived . visit from German ohlcer,
who said; Consider yourself q prison
er Of war. We nov rule hers. The
stati2a st osnG ?, e., y , completely dis
havs Been nG ssas e asr n aas 'm'f Il
thus that Germany creates an inde-
pendent eepubaas.s