A PROCLAMATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1871, 31 August 1918, Page 3

A PROCLAMATION.

FOUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD. TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. An interesting, iuul rather ironie pamphlet has been received by an Auckland gentleman (says tho Star). One of the boys at the 'front! picked it up on the batllelield, and sent it out here to him. It is a proclamation in German, but unfortunately—though for obvious reasons —it gives no indication whence if was issued. There is a number and initials on the corner of tho leaflet, and at its head is the phrase. “By Balloon." in English. Beneath is the same phrase in German. Then follows the text. Translated, it is: “To the United Soldiers of the German Working Classes. —German workmen, you are traitors of your class. You unite with the higher powers, with your capitalists, anjJ are trying to compter other lands, kill working men and women, an j then seize their lands and chattels. How yon must love these higher powers. They are driving yon before them like beasts to the slaugh-ter-house, just to light for (hem: they call you ‘food for cannon.' They boast dial they do not earn how many of yon are killed in battle, and yet you love them. They love the war, they have no intention of ever stopping it. They prefer that the war continue, for never yet. have their profits been so great. Tho landowners’ profit on food production is immense, while your families are starving;. The manufactures and coalmine owners are making such huge profits that they are atraid to give the right amount; they don't even have to pay for the war with their (axes; you have to pay for the war. Now you are paying; for it with your life; after the war you will pay because you will have no work, and will starve with hunger. You are gaining nothing by the war; you are not even earning money. Salaries arc low, food and clothing almost unprocurable. Your capitalists have all their plans made, so that when the war is over they will use all your working strength for their own ends, and should you then strike they will turn their machine-guns on you, as already happened before. Because in their eyes you are only food for their cannons, and what matters It how many of you are killed? They have betrayed you. They made the war, because at heart they were afraid of you. They realised that Germany was on the verge of a tremendous upheaval. And therefore they began this war so as to maki sure of their own authority. And they will continue it yet, because they are again afraid of what will happen afterwards. They just told you Germany had to fight. All working classes all over the world except you know that, you have been betrayed. You allow yourselves to bo deceived so easily. They say you have no strength of spirit, that you allow yourselves without resistanceto bo driven like cattle (o the slaughter. They know how your officers treat you. They have seen with their own eyes how these officers, themselves among the captured, strike you in the face, because you are common soldiers. But they wonder how such a thing could be. You give your lives in hundreds of thousands so that your capitalists and officers, who strike you in the face, can rule your country, and lay their plans to conquer also the workers of other lands. When the time comes for you to go back to your country, where there is no work given you, and you expect the workers of other lands to help you, do you really believe (hey will? The other countries will (urn and tell you that you are the traitors of the working classes, that you helped the capitalists to conquer the world, and then the capitalist,-,, instead of thanks, turn on yon, as it is certain they will. Then yon may he sure no other working elass in the world will help you. They will say to you, ‘As you have made your beds, so lie on I hem.’ ”