"WILLIAM WILL PAY"

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 22 June 1917, Page 1

"WILLIAM WILL PAY"

Admiration for the fortitude of the women of France who have suffered so much is ths theme of Mr Gibbs's despatch from Tincourt, lyiiig in the region beyond Peronne. In Tincourt only the outer streets and the neighboring, separate buildings had been, destroyed. The people were gathered about the roadway, about 200 of them, sittins or standing among piles of bundles, like refugees in the old days of the 'war. There were many ■ old, old women among them in black dresses and bonnets, and a group of young gxls, of 15 or so, and small boys and children in arms. They -were looking down the road anxiously, and I found that they were waiting for British lorories and" ambulances to take them away to safer country beyond the reach of German shell-fire. Thev spoke harshly of the Prussian soldiers, but well of the Bavarians, who had been with them . most of the time. They had been kind to the children and decent to women, and hated the war. Many of them had blamed the Kaiser for all that happened. He promised us the war -would end in two months. He deceived us.'After the war there will be something to say." They had not behaved like savages, these Bavarians, said the old woman from Tincourt until the last weekSi when they had laid' -wast* *o the countryside. The officers looted the big houses of everything of value, and then set fire to them. They had made many rules, these .officers. Even small boys had to salute them as they passed, and enemy men and boys -were arrested for refusing this salute. The soldiers' food -was getting bad. They lived a lot on mangel-wurzel soup, and kad no meat. At Tincourt the people had been fed by the American Committee, .and the Germans took the white flour and changed it for bad brea'd. "They know they are beaten," said the old ladies. "They ask always fo"f peace. They- are afraid of the punishment -which God hold* in store for them for all this wickedness." "Yes," said one of the old women, "they will be punished. What we have suffered they will suffer. All this "—she thrust up a skinny hand ..towards the ruined' land behind her—"must be paid, for." "It is William who -will-pay,'.' said another old woman. "m& Ms bead,