German Persuaders.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 November 1915, Page 2

German Persuaders.

The following facts will demonstrate tho lack of enthusiasm displayed by the German** in E?io firing lino and tlie means their oliicers employ to oblige them to perform their military duties, writes a correspondent from Northern France •- - A lew days ago a French regiment captured a German trencii by surprise, the Germans having no tine to put up any resistance. The French counted 30 prisoners, among whom was a conceited young lieutenant; also three machine guns, one .bomb-thrower, and a quantity of hand grenade*. According to the German fashion, the machine gun tier vers were attached to their guns which did not surprise tlie French as they were familiar with this spectacle; but what did surprise them was to find in the lieutenant's dug-out a rather unexpected object-a cat-o'-nme-tails with lead points at the end of tho thongs, x real instrument of torture.

The Prussian officer, when questioned, maintained a sunen reserve, but one of the Saxon prisoners, whoso goldrimmed spectacles indicated a certain status, answered in his stead. Ho proved to be a university professor, and in extremely correct French he explained that during tho last lew weeks the use of this little instrument bad become very frequent in the oerman army, in order to oblige the men to leave tho trendies. To prove the veracity ot his story, he unbuttoned his tunic and showed tho marks of a beating he Dad received the evening before. The welts raised on the skm by the leaden tips wen: plainly visible, and the shirt was blood-stained.

The French soldiers were unable to restrain a movement ol indignation at the sight. Daring the ecene the- officer with difficulty restrained hits rage, but a little later, wh<>n the prisoners departed, he (sprang upon the prot'esa«i' with clenched fists. The French soldiers separated the Germans and obliged the lieutenant to tall back.