"FRATERNISATION"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 245, 4 July 1918, Page 5

"FRATERNISATION"

GERMANY'S TREACHEROUS SCHEME HOW RUSSIA WAS DECOYED Gormany gained a • greater victory over Russia as the result of "negotiation." than ever sho did on the battle field. Her success was so extraordinary that she naturally desires to repeat it. against the Western Alliance. Sho has tried and will make further attempts to prepare tho ground for peace (which means German conquest) by negotiation in the West. One of tho means for decaying tho Russians into tho Teutonic, net whs tho careful manner in which she encouraged Hie Russian troops to "fraternise." The following official order sent by the German General Staff to each of the divisions near the. Eastern front shows the systematic way in -which tho piiemy .prepared to poison tho minds of tho Russian Boldiers:— £18th Army Division, Ist Section, No. .2GG. ■ Secret. Not to bo taken to front positions. Order to the division. 1. In conformanco with t|ho order transmitted over tho telephone of tlio group Qerock, Nα. 2098, it is necessary to develop the propaganda among, tho enemy armies with particular intensity. 2. The aim of tho propaganda is to disorganise the foe's ariny, and to obtain necessary information about it. 3. Tho propaganda must be conducted: (a) By throwing into the enemy trencher a large number of newspapers and manifestos for the intellectual elements of the army;, (b) by persuading the masses orally and selecting credulous officers ami sergeants in tho enemv's troops.

4. The front communication posts are subject to tho authority of the commanders of tho corresponding companies. Tho duty of the latter is as follows:—(a) In his section he must seek out favourably situated points from which newspapers, manifestos, etc., 'might be transmitted to tho enemy; (b) at these points he must endeavour to enter into communication with tho enemy through our interpreters, ■ and. if the enemy is disposed to do so, appoint a definite hour for meetings. 5. Every agreement in this direction must be immediately communicated ovor the telephono to the head of tho divisional bureau of information. The head of tho bureau of information alono has the right to parley with the enemy according to definite.instructions given to him. Tho communication poste, directed by company commanders, must merely prepare tho ground .for such parleys. . t>. Our soldiers are strictly forbidden to enter into communication with ths onemy, except .ad ordered above for this would facilitate enemy espionage. In any event tho enemy will try to take advantage oi tho kindly disposition of our sol--9s Cr ?ot7?° * M P Or(l , er < No ' 39 - <* May 28, 1017) regarding this matter remains in full power. Written and printed mattor brought by the onemy must bo acoepted and immediately forwarded to tho head n tho bureau of information. It is strictly forbidden to open them, and lngenoral, to touch them. 7. Company commanders will begin their activities most successfully by lorabngi first of all. tho points whore the enemy accepted the papers placed for him, and whore ho -.has proved hostile to our SoffnT i * h v b f lavlour ie dWdedlr hostile and forbidding. Positions where * \ lerj;,oI erj ;, o^ erva '° n Posts are discover»,l ?tl l d b ? aToi(le<1 ' foc Fro "d> officers and instructors may be •there. hL V°ff CSe Of ° se,lin » wmmnnica™?u ? f ! e,,em,s on tho atlroitfihon7 .yhicli tho first steps aro made. S*n ? 0 " WgWen tho.onemy, «ho w timid by nature, and throw tho V rl lnto a"T Goo(1 "sulfa are obtained by words delivered in a quiet rarteship by a frequent repetition of thcse_ attempts at the'same point by 9. Each day at 20 o'clock (8 pm ) thn §mm§>ng the behaviour of Ihe enemv ft ll t wrnm "ill Srnnt }£ T pal, y M ">mdnder3 win point out the places to be left uti t^1 0 thß eom bittr £ it n, iSS e T y f is cra ," r Mrl fe"we« that wil ref S re V be timi » in mi "rt xnat fie will no doubt try to set trnns JLS" detachments or 1? purpose of capturing or killing them Wβ must act with the utmost ire. & I. diera carrying newspapers and letters «^fw^- or ? ed about tho wwenti.onal destined to deceive tho enemv) iSffh °/ r nr trOC ? 3 ( ] «- No 2™l For tho protection of fteea soldiers special protectuo detachments must always be organised m our trenches, the utmost ZIJ tal l en that the >' ' hoM n °t * noticed by tho enemy. Those detachments must.only- fire at the order of tho tion ti commr ' n(i tho oommunica--12. On tho 12th of the month tho 62nd Amy Brigado must submit'tho names of the company commanders recommended for the position of head of communication post. The Chief of tho Division (on leave of absence), per KBBINBI3R3 (Signature), General Major and Chief of tho C2nd Brigade. Read by BUNK (Sig.), Chiof of the Company.