German Soldiery

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 October 1915, Page 2

German Soldiery

._ ilaiAuJi.S O'r iLL-J iiL.U JJiL-N i . iiclUC, Aii-gllol _'l. information liut> peiioUaied ilirougu ■>i i>i. iLjn.'l'Juud louie eJlect lir.il 01 ili-U'eaLiiieiiL on liie part ol (■uuMiian oiweers Lowauls iheir men were uuide dining, the receui. deliberations ■.i Liji. , iiudjiet Commission ol ihc UeicliThe debate is reported to have iasleu M-Viiral hours. Keprcsontativus '-i all yartieis declared thai' they had ixiviwil hundreds ol coniplajntui and appeals for "help iioiu men called lo iiie colours, and as many as live Social iJuiiiocralic deputies produced an aceuiiiulation ol evidence pointing to tho prevalence iu the army ol tho must violent compulsion and the mosL despotic drill. i'Wii) the reply made by the Minister if War il appeared luaL since the oiilliteak oi' war orders had several time.-. 11 een sou I to the liont, with a view to putting a fctop to isiicn proceedings, and it was promised that another ge'ii ial order to ollicers u ould be issued. '! he Minister denied tnat the state ol i.hin&s eoinplaiiied ol' was general, and loluted some of the accusations, aliliougli with regard to some ol the ■ ■iiarges lie admitted, he described them a* disgusting (.absclieulichj. UJs delonco c l . tho ollicers was that suiue of them iiiusL have had iiiKuHicient and training, and ho called upon tho members present not to discuss tho matter in the plenary sitting of the so that the impression shoul.l not bo created abroad that the Oerinan army leaders were compelled to drive then- tr-oopw to battle in order to carry mi their victorious campaign.

It was agreed to accede to the re(jiu'st. although some Social Democrats

were in favour of an open discussion, as they regarded the Minister's statoipeiils a.s uiiisatisiaclftry. and considered that such a discussion would allay uneasiness of many civilians and eai n the feolinii of (h<! .soldiers. The relereiice .sii!iS('(|iiently made to the matter in the plenary sitting was. fhereioro, i>l a more, or lops tormal charaetei-. '. Social Democratic deputy referred to !hi) complaints that nad lier-n received, and tlie Minister of War replied as ne-foi-e. He repeated his promise that. another general order would be issued to officers, and stated that tlio instances of undue severity had occurred ii.inong men in training, and not among those actually at the front.