GERMAN ATROCITIES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 86, 10 April 1916, Page 5

GERMAN ATROCITIES.

Jf * AN. APPALLING ACCUSATION. A VERITABLE “BLACK HOLE” • BIOT IN THE REIOHSTAO. i v SOME ASTOUNDING LANGUAGE. I “KNOCK HIM ON THE HEAD.” GERMANS BUILDING NEW SUBMARINES. i DUTCH FEVERISHLY PREPARING. MOST APPALLING GERMAN BRUTALITY. BRITISH PRISONERS TREATED WORSE THAN DOGS. A BRITISH COMMITTEE'S FULL REPORT. X- A ■ ... v - * N . r • 1 ■ ■ AN EPIDEMIC s OF TYPHUS IN CAMP. ■ • , NO MATTRESSES, CLOTHES, FOOD OR DRUGS. BRITISH DOCTORS VOLUNTEER FOR THE WORK. * (Reed. 9.0 a.m.). j LONDON, April 9. No record of Germany’s inhumanity is more appalling than that disclosed in the report of the Government Committee, whereof Mr. Justice Younger is president, dealing with the typhus epidemic at Wittenburg, early in 1915, among British and otherprisoners of war. The report issued hy the Press Bureau states it is based on evidence, ctf Jong accumulation, '.from returned prisoners, but it was considered so terrible that the Committee awaited the return of Major Priestly,- Capt. Vidal, and Capt. Lauder, Army Medicals, who fought and conquered the epidemic. Their statements confirm all previous depositions. The Wittenburg camp of ten and a half acres held 16,000 prisoners during the winter of 1914. The overcrowding, was serious, the winter was so severe and the heating so inadequate, that the men were obliged to keep the windows shut, thus aggravating the overcrowding". / Men were insufficiently clothed, their overcoats wer e taken hy Germans, their clothing was reduced to rags. Many had neither boots or socks, others wrapped their feet in straw. None were able to change their clothes, there were no means of washing clothes, food was bad and insufficient. The underfeeding ''■was deplorable, jand; even the canteen, whereat they formerly bought additional food, was closed. It was only when the epidemic was nearly overcome theat they had enough food, because they were able to eat a consignment from England.

It was impossible to allege a general shortage of medical requisites in Germany,as the English doctors saw abundant supplies in sWittenburg town, yet the plague stricken camp was starved for months of the barest necessities of existence and the simplest of drugs, not even being provided with surgical dressings. Above all, the British suffered most, being victims of Jbeclal hostility. From the camps beginning outragepus Germans Avere ■guilty of conduct and neglect for which they must answer one- day.

The report pays the warmest tribute to the work of the doctors’ orderlies, all laboured unsparingly, fully conscious of the dangers, but they risked their lives Avithout a thought. Many laid down their lives for their comrades as fully as on the battlefield. The Committee hoped their devotion would be remembered at the proper t.me.

The prisoners had not the vitality sufficient, to resist disease; many being covered with vermin; one cupful of soft soap had to last 120 men for many weeks.

The epidemic broke out in December, 1914, and the German staff of guards fled. All supplies thereafter were pushed into the camp down a shute; food was hauled in on rails. Tents were sent for Majors Fry and Priestly and Capts. Sutcliffe, Field, Vidal and Lauder, who said they had heen prisonered in defiance of the Geneva convention. The men were gaunt and strangely pallid, and received them in apathetic silence. The rooms were unlighted,' and the men marched aimlessly up and down. Some were already lying on the floor. Conditions four weeks from the eleventh February -were full of horror, there were no mattresses in improvised hospital and men dreaded to go there. Fifty secret cases were discovered in one compound containing 1000 men. Infected mattresses had to be employed, and even in the hospital patients had to be carried on tables from which they ate. Neither prisoners or tables could be washed owing to the absence of soap. Germans refused to allow typhus patients to be separated from the others. Men lay delirious in their clothes on the bare floor, , so closely packed that the doctors moved with difficulty. There were 1000 cases on the seventh March, with fifty fresh cases daily. There -was extreme difficulty in getting drugs and dressings, and when they were supplied they were hopelessly inadequate. Men lost their toes and feet from frost, and typhus gangrene. Many had their legs ampufrom the same cause. One British soldier, new in England, lost, h'"’ legs. There is practically no 1 -- pital clothing and only one small disinfector. The men had to wear their outer garments while the inner were disinfected, and vice-versa, because the blankets were insufficient to keep them, warm. The washing of patients was out of the question until much later, when soap came from England. The dead were buried within the camp, the cemetery beings so small that coffins were piled up. The hardest trial of-all was to hear townspeople outside the entanglements jeering at and insulting the dcaa'.t^

Fry, Sutcliffe and Field died of. typhus, also many devoted English prisoners who volunteered to nurse their comrades. Convalescents had been discharged, scarcely able to walk, through, being obliged to lie on the bare floor of the barracks. Out of three hundred English cases sixty died. The report records the magnificent efforts of the British doctors in successfully stamping out the epidemic, and it mentions that Doctor Aschenbach, the German medical officer, who fled at the first outbreak, only entered the camp once, when he was completely protected, including mask and gloves. Since then he has been awarded the Iron Cross for services ;ii combating the disease. On one occasion he refused Dr. Fry’s entreaty for necessaries, calling the victims English SAvine. The Committee tried to find justification for this treatment, but could find none; it Avas only in keeping Avith the camp’s history from the beginning. Savage dogs were employed to terrorise the prisoners, flogging Avith Avhips frequent. All this- is directly chargeable to the cruelty and neglect of German officials. A RIOTOUS REICHSTAG MEETING. LIEBNBICHT THREATENED BY MANY MEMBERS. “CHUCK HIM OUT, HIT HIM ON THE HEAD.” a “BLACKGUARD, DIRTY DOG.” LIEBNBICHT NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK. (Reed. 9.0 a.m.). COPENHAGEN, April 9. The organ of Schleswig, “Danes Flensburg” publishes the full report of the Reichstag proceedings. When Holiweg declared that their enemies chese Avar Liebneicht shouted “It’s lies, you chose It.” This caused a tremendous uproar, Avith cries of “Chuck him out, blackguard/, dirty dog.” Hclhveg said avc Avant neighbours with whom avc can co-operate for our mutual advantage. Liebneicht interposed “You therefore suddenly assail them and endeavoured to strangle them.” This was followed by a deafening din and the strongest epitaphs Avere hurled at Liebneicht, one member shouting “hit on the head.” Liebneicht later, during the naval debate tried to discuss the submarine question but Ava s forbidden to continue. rAlthough the cable says it Avas epitaphs, avg are not yet quite sure whether it was epitaphs or tombstones that Avere' being flung at Dieb-i •-leicht. There is the possibility of course, it may have been epithets. It’s , nitv avo couldn’t have a few somethings thrown at our telegraph service. —Ed. T.D.T.]. TEE PARIS TRADE CONFERENCE. MR. HUGHES IS EXPECTED TO GO. HE WILL HAVE A FULL VOICE. (Reed. 9.0 a.m.). } LONDON, April 9. Mr. Hughes has not yet definitely been invited to the Paris Conference he will probably receive an invitation to-day (Monday). It is expected "n rme quarters that he will go as a British but Avhether iv net he represents all the Dominions he is certain to have a full voice in the proceedings.

GERMANS RAPIDLY BUILDING NEW SUBMARINES. THE OLD PERISCOPE IS ABOLISHED. LENSES AND MIRRORS SUBSTITUTED. s ' (Reed. 9.0 a.m.), *• j AMSTERDAM, April 9. The German Admiralty is rapidly constructing submarines for keeping closer to the surface than the usual type, because the periscope having been abolished, lenses and mirrors are built in the hull on both sides, which enable observations to he taken,, while the enemy is unable to detect the presence of the submarines until near. CURRENT WORK ON THE WESTERN FRONT. THE FRENCH CAPTURE GERMAN TRENCHES. VARIOUS ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED. LONDON, April 9. The French official report says west of the Meuse there has been slight artillery activity during the night. / To tne cast Ave made some pi ogress in the fortification trenches south of Douaumont village, taking IkOmetres of enemy trenches. To the soutliAvest tAvo German g; enade attacks on our positions at Bois de la Caillettc Avere repulsed. In the Woevre the night was relatively calm. In *Lci raine. the enemy s attempt on our Avorks at Embernienie completely failed. ■

RUSSIAN NAVY ACTIVE. ENEMY COLLIERS SUNK. bresi.au put to flight. LONDON, April 7. A- Russian submarine in the Blade Sea sank a steamer and seven coalladen sailers. A Russian battleship bombarded the Breslau, Avhich fled. THREE ZEPPELINS DAMAGED IN WEDNESDAY’S RAID. LONDON, April 7. Amsterdam reports state that British batteries seriously damaged throe Zeppelins Avliich took part in Wednesday night’s raid. A Petrograd communique states that a Russian aviator brought down a German dirigible south of Dvinsk, TRANSITIVE CHINA. THE PRESIDENT LOST CASTE. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.). PEKING, April 9. There is a tendency throughout the Avhole of southern China to join the movement against Yuan Shill Kai. The president had not made concessions necessary to save the situation and he has lost the sympathy of practically all prominent public men. A large part of the northern arpiy, blocked up

in Szechuan, is dispirited owing to his renunciation of the monarchy. Many fear a collapse of the present government following the division of the country into different military mands, but this is avoidable provided monarchists take no desperate steps to endeavour to keep Yuan in power.

■A SURPRISE FROM GERMANY BRITISH PRISONER GRANTED PAROLE. TO VISIT HIS SICK MOTHER. IN BANFFSHIRE. (Reed. 8.30 a.up). , AMSTERDAM, Ajmfl 9. A British sailor, interned at Groningen, has been granted furlough on parole for one week to visit his mother who is seriously ill in Banffshire. HAWK-LIKE GERMAN AIRMAN. LESS BRAVE THAN BRITISH. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.). LONDON, April 9. The Daily Mail says Immelmann’s ' methods are less heroic than scienti- | fie. He mounts sometimes 13,000 feet ! over his own lines and awaits an inj vading plane. Then he takes a long j straight dive passing diagonally at it, hit or miss he does not attempt to pursue, he merely continues his hawklike dive. At home h e is called “the Eagle of Lille.” He usually hovers, while British photographers who are obliged to fly low, are much the braver. t 1 THE SIMLA’S CREW. j ELEVEN MEN DROWNED. LONDON, April 7. " Lloyd’s report that eleven, of the 'Simla’s crews were drowned and the remainder saved. ! (The P. and O. steamer Simla, according to an earlier cablegram, was torpedoed in the Mediterranean Sea.) For Bronchial Coughs, take Woods’ Groat Peppermint Cure.

EAST AFRICA. GERMAN FORCE CAPTURED. SURRENDER AFTER BEING SURROUNDED. LONDON, April 7. Th e High Commissioner reports: General Smuts reports that in East Africa, as the result of a movement commenced on Monday, a portion of our mounted troops successfully surprised a German force with machineguns in a mountain stronghold in Arusha district. The enemy were surrounded on Tuesday, and surrendered on Thursday. TEE WESTERN FRONT. FIGHTING AT ST. ELOI. SMALL- ENEMY GAINS. % The High Commissioner reports: LONDON, April 7. Yesterday, at St. Eloi, the enemy succeeded in regaining a portion of the ground we captured on March 27. Fighting continues. Today there has boon much artillery activity at Souehez, Aix Noulotte, St. Eloi, and Ypres. GERMANY’S CHIEF TASK. BRITAIN’S DESTRUCTIVE PLANS. STRONG SPEECH IN REICHSTAG. LONDON, April 7. Speaking in the Reichstag, Conn* Westarp, a Conservative member, said Germany’s chief task was to force Britain to renounce her destructive plans. They did not want Germany's military and political backbone broken. He condemned America for sin plying ammunition to the Allies, and said Germany was firmly resolved to disregard unjustifiable demands. Herr Haase said the injustice done to Belgium must be compensated by the restoration of independence. (Uproar). In 1913 von Jagow declared Germany would uphold Belgian neutrality.

Von Jagow, replying, said when he made this declaration he considered Belgium neutral, but since she had thoroughly proved her guilt, for what had happened lay upon Belgium. If a French deputy had said a quarter of what Herr Haase said his colleagues would .have stoned him. WAR AND COMMERCE. UNITY OF THE ALLIES. LONDON, April 7. At the Navy League luncheon, Baron Sanseverino, a distinguished Italian commercer, said while British manufacturers and exporters ignored Italian tastes, the German studiously ministered thereto. He hoped this careless ness would be dispelled. There must be economic and commercial unity as well as military. THE PETROLEUM SWINDLE. “MY WORD, THEY ARE HOT.” ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND THE PAPERS. BUYING MEMBERS’ SUPPORT. SYDNEY, this day. Before the Petrol Commission yesterday afternoon, Mr. Waxman, ,lhe British Imperial Oil Co’s solicitor, gave evidence that when the papers referring to the case were shown to Mr. D. R. Hall, Attorney-General, the latter exclaimed, “My word, they are hot!”

Cross-examined, Mr. Waxman said the whole matter was placed in his ihandjS to (use tanfettdred {discretion. He knew Mr. Wagstaffe, manager for the British Imperial Oil Co. wanted to break up the petrol scheme. Mr. Hall told him that the nationalisation scheme had been killed. He regarded that as a very good achievement, but still merely incidental to his duty as a citizen in disclosing the scheme.

Mr. Black, Sydney manager of the oil company, said that he discussed the scheme with Mr. Morgan. The latter said there would be an amount to go on for the perhaps more than one Minister. In it Mr. Black pointed out that if the company wanted £&0,000 for the plant there would be £3,000 commission for Morgan and £15,000 for the Minister, or £loßf,ooo. Morgan replied that was right, and asked where Mr. Reed came in. Mr. Morgan replied, “He does not expect and will not take anything.” Mr. Morgan pointed out that as a couple of schemes were going the Minister would have to care for disappointed Ministers, as only one scheme could get through, and when they got before the House there were members whose support would probably have to be bought.

Mr. Morgan thought that when the scheme was through Mr. Reed might be made president, Mr. Morgan vicepresident, and Mr. Black superintendent.

*T* ! V 1 JL/ L/O Jj Jli V J_j-k.v~.SJA.LA-; A PREPARING. LARGE ARMY GOES TO THE BELGIAN BORDER. GREAT GERMAN PREPARATIONS ON THE YSER. A GREAT BATTLE IS EXPECTED. DUTCH GETTING READY FOR GERMAN RETREAT. LONDON, April 8. The “Daily Mail” correspondent at Rotterdam says a big battle is expected on the Yser shortly. The Germans have made most extensive preparations. Heavy and light guns and an immense quantity of ammunition have been sent to Ostend, the whole line has been strongly reinforced and hospital accommodation has been doubled. The Dutch have sent a strong army to the Flanders border in case the Allies turn th e German right, when Dutch neutrality would be in danger of violation by the German retreat. A Bill has been introduced in Parliament authorising the call up of the 1917 class if necessary. The Dutch Government has requested the British to return the securities and coupons seized on Dutch vessels. BRITISH MATCH-MAKERS TAXED. (Reed. 8.30 a.m.). LONDON, April 9. Match-makers complain that foreign stocks hav e already landed and treated as free of taxation, while those lying in warehouses of British manufacturers have been impounded for excise. It is officially stated that the Excise Board decides to allow a period of grace before collecting the tax. Stocks in hand as at the sixth are not taxed.

“THE HYMN OF HATE.” PLAYED IN ENGLAND. MUCH AMUSEMENT CAUSED. LONDON, April S. At tire Active Service Exhibition for the Red Cross, at Knightbridge, the band plays the “Hymn of Hate” twice daily. The amused audience buys copies freely. A DUTCHMAN’S DREAM. LONDON, April 8. Th e Admiralty denies as a sheer invention the story of a Dutch skipper, published in Dutch newspapers, that he saw captured German submarines in the Thames under the command of British officers. N.Z. AIRMAN’S GREAT FEAT. HOW BRANDON BOMBED THE ZEPPELIN. LONDON, April 9. Details of Lieut. Branadon’s feat in bombing a Zeppelin which visited England show that he left the aerodrome with orders to patrol in a direction where enemy aircraft was expected. H e sighted the quarry and chased, driving the machine all out. He lost sig-ht of the airship, but finally re-sighted it on his own level of G,OOO feet. H e rose 400 feet above, rounded the Zeppelin’s boats sharply, and turned on top, when he liberated three bombs at one sweep. He heard three distinct detonations at the near of the airship. The latter fired round after round from machine-guns. Brandon felt the bullets hit the machine, but he was determined to have another shot. He saw sparks emitting from the Zeppelin’s stern and flew towards the bow, where he dropped more explosives despite heavy machine-gun fire. The Zeppelin was lost in the darkness.