LITTLE PICTURES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 244, 24 March 1915, Page 6

LITTLE PICTURES.

VIVID FLASHES OF WAK. i

PJ'IKLIXG IX GERMANY.

'»'o ladies who have returned from . .crmany, where they had spent some months since the outbreak of the war, Jiiivu some interesting things to say about the Germans. One, a Dutch woman whose sister married a German ofiicer of reserve, who is lighting in Poland, says:— '"Although I desired to remain in Germany in order to take care of my sister, could not support the arrogance of the people, who are mad with the worship of Prussian militarism of 'dicke Bertha' and Vater von Ilindenburg. In my sister's house a Herr Landrat came often. " He spoke of England in language of hatred which rendered him ridiculous. Belgium was for him in the latter weeks nf my residence, '.Poor Belgium, betrayed by perfidious Albion.' "But I have not forgotten what he said in August and September about tho horrors of Dinant and Andonne. He was then proud of saying that because franes-tireurs had been caught in I a little Belgian village, the whole male population had been shot with machine- . guns until it was but 'ein Klump.' (A heap of flesh). I asked him with indignation, 'Do you approve of that, Herr Landrat?' He answered: 'Was wolkm sie-?' Das ist Kricg!' (What can you evpect? It is war!) Yet the Prussian was anxious to know what neutrals thought of Germany, and, receiving nr. answer, would say: 'Oh, I know we arc? bated : wo are such _ liarhavWns, aren't we?' And suddenly he would ask. 'Of "<iui'«e you vvjH admit that we have been i attacked? Otherwise it wmiM be impos■'bio to discuss the war with vnu.'

''.But the tone has changed among the peasants, fn the villa.se of Brandelmrrr, where T spent mv last two month", tlic neoole are aware of the significance of tlic casualties in the German army. Thev ask whv. ;uvl themselves answer: 'Dor Kaiser ;-'"in das doch nicht .srhafl'en.' (The Kaiser cannot pot out of it). The harvest has boon got in with the greatest "difficulty, and they are pro-occupied with the future. Xoxt spring there, will be no more men, no more horse*.

"On his way to Poland my brother-in-law passed a few hours at home. He gave us particulars of the. Gorman losses on the Yser. He said . that young schoolboys, the fre'iwilliger of Berlin, had hoon shot like 'sperlinsre' (sparrows)." The other lady, a Belgian, who had been staying in a Rhinelnnd city with her sister (married to a German, too), says:

"When we first saw the prisoners, we could not help running behind them and say'ng: 'Bon courage!' We were assailed bv the crowd, but tVrftnks to mv hrother-inTlaw we were not lynched. The present note of the Germans is hatred of the 'infamous Englishmen,' for the 'hounds of Sir Edward C.rev and Lord Kitchener.' The English prisoners are treated inhumanly.

"Lately the idea 01 a, general retreat has spread, and one often hears it paid by the. more ontimistic, 'lf our troons fall back on the Scheldt or the. Mouse, .it, will be for stratesical reasons. And ifHhe Allies come to the Rhine they will be well received.' " This lady adds that every Gorman in the Bluneiand believes that, if necessary, the German Army, when rcputseit, will go back through Dutch Limburg. It will be "Kriogsnotwopdigwoit." as in the ease of the violation of Belgian nctraTity. Tn this connection, T may relate, a story which has been current for months here. When the Germans were besieging Liege, and seeing that after two days thev could not break through, they entered into negotiations! at The Hague to obtain free passage through Butch Limburg. But, meanwhile, happily for them, Liege fell, and Holland was spared.—-Ob-server. '