The citizen., 1918-07-04
AIMED TO Make
POLAND DESERT
German System Reckoned on
Starvation Of People TO Pro-
mote Imperial Ends.
Won KRIES REVEALED PLOT
Country, After Population Had Been
systematically Done to Death, Was
to Be Restocked by Settlers
From Germany.

The ertent of human misery in
Poland caused by the German oc-
cupation wds as great as that in Bel
alum and France. The entire heart
lessness which characterized the kat
ser's high officers is weH shown IN
statement By Mr.. Vernon Kellogg,
prepared for a pamphlet issued by
the committee on public informd-
tion. Uhich Ue copy.
The systematic exploitation Of hui
man misery by the German authorities
In Poland followed the general plan
laid down by the kalser's orders. In
order to prove the identity OF proceed
ure II will he enough to present the
detailed report prepared specially for
pamphlet issued by the committee on
public information and written by Mr..
Frederic G. Walcott. A fuller and In
some ways more touching treatment
Is given in his article. Devastated
Poland" in the National Geographic
Magazine for May. 1917.
september. 1917.
"Poland-Russian Poland-is per-
lshlng. And the German high COM
mand. imbued with the Prussian sys-
TEN, Is coolly reckoning on the neces-
stiles of a starving people to promote
its imperial ends.
"west Poland. which has been Prus-
than
years, Is a disappointment to Ger
many; its people obstinately remain
Poles. This time they propose swifter
measures. In two or three years, by
grace OF starvation and frightfulness,
they calculate East Poland VIII be
thoroughly made over into German
province.
"In the great Hindenburg drive one
year ago, the country was completely
devastated by the retreating Russian
army and the Oncoming Germans. A
million people were driven from their
homes. Half of them perished by the
roadside. For miles and miles, when
saw the country. the way was Uttered
with mudsoaked garments and bones
picked clean by the crows-though the
larger bones had been gathered by the
thrifty Germans to be ground into fer
tiliZer. Wicker baskets-the little bas-
ket In which the baby swings from the
rafters in every peasant hOme-were
scattered along the way, hundreds and
hundreds. until one could not count
them, each one telling death.
Deliberate Policy Of Starvation.
"Warsaw, which had not been de
stroyed-Once proud city Of a million
people-was utterly stricken. Poor
folks by thousands lined the streets,
leaning against the buildings, shivering
In snow and rain. too weak to lift IA
hand, dying of cold and hunger. Though
the rich gave all they had, and the
| poor shared their last crust, they were
| starving there in the streets In droves.
/ 'In the stricken city, the German gov
ernOr of Warsaw issued a proclama-
tion. All able-bodled Poles were bid
/ den to go to Germany to work. If any
refused. let no other Pole give him to
eat. not so much as "A mouthful. under
| penalty Of German military law.
at was more than the mind could
grasp. To the husband and father of
/ broken families. the high commaLd
gave this decree: Leave your families
to starve; II you stay, we shall see that
you do starve-thls to high-strung.
sensitive, highly organized people, this
from the authorities of nation pro
D alx nd .. 10. l.
lions of fellow Christians captive and
starving.
General Won Kries, the governor
was kind enough TO explain. Candldly
they preferred not quite so much star
walton; IL might get on the nerves of
the German soldiers. But, starvation
being present, II must work for Ger
man purpose. Taking advantage of
this wretchedness, the working men of
Poland were to be removed; the coun-
try was TO be restocked with Germans,
II was country Germany needed-rich
alluvial sOil-better suited to German
expansion than distant possessions. II
the Poland that was had to perish, Sc
much the better for Germany.
To Make Poland German Province.
Remove the men. let the young and
weak die. graft German stock on the
women. See how simple II is: with a
crafty smile, General Won Kries con
cluded. by and by we must give back
freedom to Poland. Very good; II will
reappear as German province
"Slowly. l came to realize that this
monstrous. incredible thing was the
Prussian system. deliberately chosen
by the circle around the all-highest
and kneaded into the German people
till II became part OF their mind.
German people are material for
building the state-of no other account
Other people are for Germany's will to
work upon. Humanity. liberty, equality,
the rights of others-all foolish talk.
Democracy. an idle dream. The true
Prusslan lives only for this. that the
German state may be mighty and great.
"All the woes In the long count
against Germany are part OF the Prus-
sian system. The Invasion OF Belgium.