THE ATROCIOUS HUN.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1917, Page 6

THE ATROCIOUS HUN.

MORE FRIG HT'F'ULNESS. AUSTRALIANS FORI! BAYONET PRACTICfij "Forty-two soldiers who had been taken were rounded up like so many Wild beasts arid bombed to death in by the Germans. That is one of sjhe countless instances of German friglitftilness that the average Australian does not seem-to know about, or, if he does. then X eun only conclude that he does not* believe such barbarity to bo true. It is true, too true." So said Colonel (/Dr.) Fred Bird, one of Melbourne's leading surgeons, who, after three years of war service in Egypt, Salonika. and England, has returned to Australia. While on the voyage back lie' had the unpleasant experience of having his ship sunk by a mine. Although this was exciting enough it will not remain >"nger in the memory of the colonel than many of the atrocities he was told about while in the field of battle. There is no doubt of the truth of the dreadful crime related above. It Was told to Colonel Bird hv an officer high in the Command, and he heard other particulars later, which corroborated the evidence against the Germans, if any corroboration were necessary. CANADIANS CRUCIFIED '• Authentic information of this terrible affair came to our lines from two of the men concerned. They had been rounded up with the others, and when the bombthrowing commenced, thcv pretended to be hit, and dropped like dead things on the ground. That was what saved their lives, and ifc was from them that we heard the awful news. These men had to crawl back to our lines, and you may imagine the threats that were uttered when their story was told. But we are shooting the Germans now, and they do not seem to take kindly to it, any more than we did. If jpeople only knew! The Empire was never in such danger a* it is this morning. The things the Germans have done in France are simplv hideous; and they are still pursuing their policy of frightfulness. Think how they crucified the Canadians who had fallen prisoner to them. The' Canadians do not show the Germans any njercy at all now, and who can blame them? They are killing them as fast as they can hold of them, but that is nothing "to what has happened to the women of Macedonia. MASSACRE OF WOMEN. "Some of the things that these foul Germans have done are really too awful to speajs about, and I am sure people would not believe any human being capable of their performance. The French Government and the Serbian Government have published a lot of the doings of these beasts, and to read them is revolting enough. Women in the feeblest of health have been ravished and then ripped fiendishly open from the chin downwards. I am sure if the men of Australia, know that these things were actually happening to the hien and women of the Allies there would be no 'hanging back. Instead, they would, I am sure go to the help of their comrades who have fought so long'and so well, without the rest and change of scene that all of them are in dire need of. How can we make them know that these terrible crimes are happening every day? It has ben discovered bv spies that if Germany wins Australia is the first place alio means to possess.. We have that on documentary evidence, and tho story was first told to m e by Sir Edward Wallington, the King's Chamberlain. The German goes on lite a mad monkev. Hasn't he sent fountain pens stuffed with dynamite to Norway, did we not find at Liverpool,. England, rats which had been inoculated, with plague, and have not the German airmen dropped cholera-infected, lollies over Serbia from their aeroplanes. These things we must not forget. They. have-<ione every devilish thing that has crossed their evil minds and what are the men of Aus tralia doing to Stop them at these things? The Germans have (lung money about everywhere to advance their schemes, and we know that neutrals have laid mines. We liavo indeed shot them for it. And what could be more awful than to bombard boats carrying the survivors after "a vessel had been sunk by a submarine? '

AUSTRIAN'S ARE HORRIBLE. "The Bulgarians we found are not nearly its bad unless tliev are officered by the Germans or Austrians. Although we had not thought it, we soon found tliat the Austrians were, and are still, quite as bad as any of the Germans ever were. They are, in fact, quite horrible and their conduct is most extraordinary." •, . Colonel 'Bird says that the need for Australian troops to help win the war is very, very great. "The war," he says, is not ended, yet by any means. AVe cannot say that.wo are winning, and the Germans cannot say.that they are winning either. The need for Australian troops, which are recognised as being particiil ar ly good, is very great indeed. All the Australians that I met In the three years' service that I put in were cheery and happy. They are very well treated in England, and they are also made very happy in France. If a man once gets into the swing of military life he soon finds it is enchanting. There is such a big comradeship feeling about the whole thing. Active service has a lot of discomforts, but there is a tremendous number of counter-balancing good things in it. ° AUSTRALIA UNDER GERMAN RULE. The peculiar attitude of many Australians is puzzling to me, and since my return I cannot, help thinking how awful it would be for Australia to fall under the hand of Germany. It is almost too horrible to think about. I aln astonished at the general optimism, of all classes of Australians, which is certainly not warranted by the existing circumstances The defection of -Russia has been enormously against the Allies, whereas the great advantage of Russia's help is still largely prospective. I would like to say a word about the Australian nurses. They have done wonders in this war. The whole service has covered itself with glory, and no praise is too high for them. They have not only proved themselves j tkilful, but so adaptable to new condi-' tions."