Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-24

KAISER'S LETTER CLEARS UP
MYSTERY OF ATROCITIES.

At last responsibility for the horros
perpetrated in France and Belgium
by the invading Huns appears TO be
definitely fixed on William Hohen-
zollern. The Associated Press carries
a story from Paris under date of
January Is. in which the following
letter, written early in the war by the
kaiser to the emperor of Austria, is
quoted as authentic:
my soul is torn asunder, but every
thing must be put to fire and blood.
The Threats of men and women, chill
dren, the aged must be cut and not a
tree nor house left standing.
With such methods of terror, which
alone can strike SO degenerate peo-
pie as the French, the war Will finish
in two months, while if | use humam-
tartan methods it may prolong for
years. Despite my repusnance, l have
had to choose the first system
The original letter. in the hand
writing of the kaiser, is said to be in
the hands of the French government,
and it was to it Premier Clemenceau
referred in his recent speech to the
deputies in which he said RESPONSE
bility for the crimes perpetrated had
been definitely fixed upon the former
kaiser, whose cXtradition and punish
ment would he demanded by France.
The letter has much the same tone
as the address delivered by the kaiser
to his army departing for China. 1t
was to make name such as Atilla,
the Hun, made.
When the first reports of the atroC-
tiles began to come from the invaded
territories, people of America refused
to believe them. When it was estab-
lished that such atrocities had been
and still were being committed, peo-
pie of this country came to the con-
clusion that some insane monster was
directing the policies Of the German
army.
Some OF the spccu!atous pointed tot
Won Kissing, the tyrant OF Belgium
but Won Bissing's authority did not
extend into France. There We're those
who credited it to orders Of the gem
cral staff the mighty German war
machine headed by Won Moltke when
Belgium WAS invaded; but the general
staffs personnel changed soon after
the battle of the Marine. and the atroc-
tiles continued more fiendishly than
ever. Hindenburg, cruel as his con-
duct was in Russia. had nothing to do
with the first year of the war in
France and Belgium, and Ludendorff
was only a colonel when the war be-
gan, hence could have had little voice
in the initiation Of the policy of
'frightfulness."
II was difficult for people acquaint-
ed with the general lIindliness of the
German character seen in this coun-
try to regard such outragea against
humanity as the product OF the conf
mon soldier and it was doubly diff
cult to come to such conclusion when
the iron discipline OF the German
army was understood.
But with the letter of the kaiser to
the Austrian emperor authenticated,
this modern Nero is placed, and there
can be little doubt that he will be
brought to justice unless he commits
suicide or dies from disease before an
international or French or Belgium
court can try him.
Had the central powers won, the
letter never would have come to light.
But now the effort of everyone in
those countries is to shift RESPONSE
bility to some one else. Hence, there
was no difficulty in getting the
kaiser's letter form the archives of
the royal house of Austria.