Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-03-21
German Guilt as Art DestrOyers
 is Established

Falsifications in the denial of Germany's guilt as destroyer of art treasures in warinvaded countries, is pointed out by the American De- fense society, in review of Paul Clemens book, "Protection of Art During War;" It is obvious propa- ganda. The Germans are not only ex- cused for what damage they did but are actually praised for their alleged preservation of art They seem to be presented as having done nothing blamable whereas several pictures are given showing the destruction wrought by the English and French in this last war and the robbery of art treasures, b ythe French in pre- vious wars. The book, originally pub lished in Leipsic, Germany, has re- gently made its appearance in an edition printed in English. It is pro- fessed to be a collection of reports edited by Clemen in collaboration with Helmuth Grisebach, Fortunat von Schubert-Soldern, Friedrich Kull rich. Franz von Weiser, and others. Geheimer Regierungsrat secret coun- sellor) Dr. Otto von Falke. director of the nstgewerbemuseum in Der lin is 9 contributor. The book fea : lures passages similar to the follow ing:
 "The three names, Louvain, Reims and Lusitania, have extinguished any sympathy for Germany in America, and these three fanfares have been blown to false melody; boundless congregations worked hand in hand With unjustified generalisatons." ;" Former reports of Germany's desc cration of art are declared to be Ca poisoning of the worlds mind"
 The accusation document prepared by the French is lightly touched upon:
 eff the first protests from Ger many, even the full toned declaration of the German intellectuals, were not always happily conceived, even so, on the other side, the first represen- tatives' of French intellect signed a document which is full of exaggera- tions"
 Professed German concern for the protection of art is emphasized: "It is the first time in the history of war that government has worked so systematically and extensively for the preservations and rescue of art treasures in enemy territory"
 A statement issued by the French government on October 5, 1917, is quoted:
 The German government has con- tinually stated that should it ever happen that they were compelled to evacuate the occupied Trench terri toy, they would only leave hebind them a territory absolutely stripped and plundered. This average threat is now being fulfilled with methodi- cal fury. The German armies. in order to avenge themselves for their continued defeats, are treating the towns and the country itself more mercilessly than they previously did the population. Nothing is spared to the unhappy inhabitants of our pro- vinces. Driven away in masses, they see behind them how their houses and their factories, their schools and hospitals are burnt, how their churches are blown up, their fields and cultivations laid waste"
 The foregoing assertion is con- 'trasted with 1the following, found in Clemens volume: "With heart full of pain and moved by the deepest sorrow we have watched the destruc- tion of whole stretches of that France and Belgium which we loved and those monumental art creations we admired, as one of the highest expressions of northern art tenden. cies and because their spirit spoke to us with deep affinity.
 'To have to be onlookers of these sad scenes and to have ones hands tied, to be unable to check or lessen the increasing misfortune, was per haps the bitterest task which the