The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-06-22
FRENCH FOUND PROTEST.
AGAINST PRUSSIAN OPPRESSION

Paris, June 22.-The French are
very curious, though very skeptical,
about strange document which was
found on the morning after a recent
air raid on the lawn of a French
country estate in a section that had
been heavily bombed during the
night. 1t is passionate protest,
against Prussian over-lordship and
oppression, written on German appar.
emily by a Bavarian and directed to
his compatriots. Without any crease
such as would come from folding the
document and wet with dew, the pa.
Per was picked up by the owner Of
The estate. It says:
BAVARIANS, COMPATRIOTS
"The frightful misery which be.
cause of the war has spread also to
Bavaria, and which is leading our
Bavarian people to almost certain
ruin, imposes upon us the sacred duty
OF thinking Of the welfare of our
country and our compatriots.
who is it that has led us to this
abyss of perdition? Let us be frank !
1t is not presumptuous enemies! 1t
is not he English and the French !,
Neither is the other countries that
we call the Entente! The guilty
ones, one can say in all conscience
today, are solely and only the Prus-
SLAMS, or more precisely, there is but
fthe guilty party-the King of Prus-
STA. The official assertion that our
adversaries started the war against
us and menaced us, us and our own
is a falsehood.
Now the King of Prussia has the
right, in the name of Bavaria, to de.
clare war and make peace.
What the atrocious misery this
country suffers signifies-a misery
that shouts to heaven-must make us
realize it cruelty. Prussia, by its
absolutist political situation, is
obliged to go to war at longer OF
shorter periods, if for nothing else
than to sustain the interests of its
dominating clique. The history Of
Prussia is one of continued war with
more or less lengthy Interruptions
Are not the Prussian country squires
(hobereaux) already talking, despite
the terrible misery, of the next war!
"The present war, also, is not at
all in the interests of Bavaria, but is
solely a gamble for the power of the
Prussian state, its military and its
!, tgrarians.
I'VE Bavarians are not in any way
in opposition to the interests Of the
people whom we are fighting On
the contrary France, for example, has
notably favored our country and our
people during the course Of history
Among the governments that are our
opponents in this war, not one has
one Of its war aims the extinction OF
our country. But he war hinges en-
tirely, and with good right, against
Prussia which, with the Russia OF
other days, is the most corrupt state
in Europe. The sons of Bavaria sac
rifice their lives by hundreds of thou
sands for this Prussia, for this coun
try which few decades ago, in 1856
took away part Of our territory and
an enormous war indemnity.
And even II it were possible to be
. victorious what can our country
what may we Bavarians expect from
such a victory? AS little as nothing
"All the precious Bavarian blood
all the mourning, the stirring, horri
BILE suffering Of our compatriots, Of
our women and our children, all the
lives sacrificed and ruined and all
tn ematerial losses; all oft hat has
gone for nothing! All the sacrificfies
have been without object, they
haven't even been fort he defence
of our country for it has not beer
menaced, but merely have been fol
the conservation of Prussian power
In addition, as allies of Prussia, we
have drawn upon us the hatred and