The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-01-21
AIMED TO MAKE
POLAND A DESERT
German System Reckoned on Starva-
ton of the People to Promote
Imperial Ends

Poland caused By the German oc-
cupation wds as great as that IN Bel
gum and France The entire heart
fessness which characterized the kai-
ser,s high officers IS weH shown IN a
statement by Mr. Vernon Kellogg,
prepared for a pamphlet issued By
the committee on public irforna-
tion, which we copy.
The systematic exploitation of hui
man misery by the German authorities
In Poland followed the general plan
laid down by the kaiser's orders. In
order to prove the identity of proceed
IRE 1t win be enough to present the
detailed report prepared Specially for a
pamphlet issued by the committee on
public information and written by Mr.
Frederic C. walcott. fuller and in
some ways more touching treatment
is given in his article Devastated
Poland" in the National Geographic
Magazine for May. 1877.
September. 1917.
'PoIand-Russian Poland-is per-
fishing. And the German. high COM
mand, imbued with the Prussian sys-
tenn, is coolly reckoning on the neces-
sites of a starving people to promote
its imperial ends.
"West Poland, which has been Prus-
sian territory more than a hundred
years, is a disappointment to Ger
many: It's 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 a German
province.
In the great Hindenburg drive one
year ago, the country was completely
devastated by the retreatiEg Russian
army and the oncoming Germans. A
million people were driven from their
homes Half of them persisted 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 has.
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, shiverina
Ia snow and rain, too weak to lift a
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,
I'm the stricken city, the German gov.
ernor OF Warsaw issued proclama.
tfon. All able-bodied Poles were bid.
den TO go to Germany to work. IL any
refused, let no other Pole give him to
eat, not SO much az mouthful, under
penalty Of German military law.
EFT was more than the mind could
grasp. To the husband and father OF
broken families, the high command
gave this decree: Leave your families
TO starve: IL you stay, we shall see that
You do starve--this to a high-strung,
sensitive, highly organized people, this
from the authorities OF q nation pro-
| Tossing civilization and religion to mil.
lions OF fellow Christians captive and
starving.
General Won Kries, the governor
was kind enough to explain Candidly
they preferred not quite so much star
vatioR; it might get ON the nerves OF
the German soldiers. But, starvation
being present, 1t 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
| It 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 it is: with q
crafty. smile, General Won Kries con.
cluded, BY and by we must give back
freedom to Poland. Very good it win
reappear as a German province
Slowly, 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 1t became part of their mind.
German people are material fol
building the state-of no other account
Other people are for Germany's win to
work upon. Humanity, liberty, equality
the rights of others-alI foolish talk.
Democracy. an idle dream. The true
Prussian 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
the deportations, the starving of sub