The Washington times., 1919-02-02

OF enemy territOy-a destruction which included desruc
ton of human life if it happened get in the way Of
the destruction of enemy property The killing of Edith
Cavell and poor Adrenne deliberate but the killing
of thousands of others merely incidental
Even late the final days of the war last NOvem
Der this studied destruction of innocent men, women and
children continued.
In their retreat the Germans had begun the practice
of turning their retreatng guns the villages they had
just abandoned and bombarding them with explosive
shells and poison gas.
Imagine the result. The happy French and Belgian
people, overwhelmed with JOY to find the Germans gone
caught Unexpectedly this shower of poison gas
none of them had gas masks of protection
against these unexpected death-spreadng fumes.
Belgian soldier entering Wynghene, his home town,
found his wife dying and his little daughter dead victims
of the poison gas, and his home heap of ruins The
country all around Ghen the rich and beautiful cult
waited fields and pastures of the picturesque villages Of
Hansbeke Landeghem Nevele, Laethen, ST. Martin and
Tronchiennes presented horrible sight of devastation
and death. Not church spared from destruction
You have read how the coal mines deliberately
flooded how the machinery of the manufacturing towns
destroyed in all the factories how the vineyards
Systematically ploughed up how ten thousand pretty
little homes of the working people near Lens every
destroyed. All this not accidental. 1t was done
by official command Here is copy of an order for
methodical destruction issued by the commander of the
One Hundred and Eighth Infantry Brigade the
guards of his command
"A recent army order demands that we proceed in
the future with method and less haste in the desrue
ton of indicated property The divisions already have
been notified that they will be held responsible for build
ings not destroyed in their In consequence all
preparation should be made for firing tstraw collected
etc.
Lieutenant Krause with his platoon already has re.
ceved special orders regarding the destruction Of certain
localities He destroy the northern section of Com
menOhOn Ugny-le-Gay, Vilequier AumOnt, lie CaiSnel
Faleue Freres Faileuel and the roads joining them
with Nemesis we'll the bridges the roads
All soldiers bound to assist to the best of their
ability in the execution of this mission The rearguard
battaOnS will select groups to complete the work Of de-
strucOn These detaehments will not set fire to things
until the right moment 1t will be remembered that there
to defle all wells Mines must not be exploded
too soon"
The readers of this page will remember that the Ger
swept down rapidly and almost reached Paris In
the early days of the But fortunately the invaders
swept back and puShd out of good deal Of this
quickly captured French territory
But even in the short space of time in which the Ger
mans occupied temporarily this territory they revealed
their carefully maured plans and policy of loot and de-
StructOn
The Department of the Meuse suffered probably
than and other Lart Here great number of towns
completely wipdd out At Revgny the Germans carried
away everything value before destroying the town The
church of this village, which of the oldest and
most interesting landmarks of northern France. was en-
rely destroyed. The village of SOmmeilleS was left
of ruins at the hands of the 5ls Regiment of Ger
man Infantry The soldiers of this regiment were
equipped with petroleum pumps which seemed to have
been provided for the very purpose of destroying enemy
property
At Rebas the Germans pundered large Jewelry store
belonging the firm of Pantereau and all goods OF value
carefully packed and loaded upon motor trucks al
ter which the house set aire The wife of liquor
dealer aged % years seized by German soldiers and
all her clothes were torn from her The wife of grocer
who resisted was hanged her husband store and
saved only through the interference of an Asatan sol
der. Similar cases extremely numerous In this de.
partment
In the Marine department number of chateaux and
more modest homes completely wrecked The vii
lagos of Hetz-e- Maurupt Suppes, MarfeuX, FrOmen-
tIerres and Estenay suffered more than any others