GERARD AND GERMAN BUTCHERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 3

GERARD AND GERMAN BUTCHERY.

SOLDIERS WENT MAi>. •'lie fact that German rioldiers theui.sclvc:; appealed to Ambassador Gerard us "the representative, of a Christian State' to protest againut utroeitieu and butcheries in which ibeir commanders forced them to participiite has been disclosed i:< a pamphlet by the Washington Committee on Public Information, and it ha 4 caused some consternation throughout America. This wau thu protest of a German soldier, an eye-witness of the slaughter of Russian soldiers in the Masuriar. lakes and swamps: It was frightfully heartrending as the masses of human beings were driven t$ destruction. Above the terrible thundei of the cannon could be heard the heartrending cries of the Russians: 'Oh, Prussians: Oh, Prussians!" But there was no mercy. Our captain had ordered '"The whole lot must die; so rapid fire!" As I have heard, five men and one officer on our side went mad from these heart-rending cries. But most of my comrades and the officers joked as the unarmed and helpless Russians shrieked for mercy while they wpre being .iiifi'oeatcd in the swamps and phot down. The order was: "Close up and harder at it! ' For days afterwards those heart-rending veils followed me. and I dare not think of them or I shall go mad. There is no God, there is no morality, and no ethics any more. There are no human beinsjs any more, but only beasts Down with militarism! This ',vas the experience oF a Prussian soldier, at present wounded:—"Berlin, October 22, 1014. If you are a truthloving man, please receive these lines from a common Prussian soldier.'' Thu was the testimony of another soldier on the east front:—"Russian Poland.-'lWcmbcr 10. 1014. j n name of Christianity I send you these words: My conscience forces'me as a • hristian German soldier to inform you of these lines. Wounded Russians 'are killed with the bayonet, according to orders. And Russians who have "surrendered are often shot in masses, according to orders, in f.pitp of their heartrending prayers. In the hone that vou as the representative of 'a Christian State, will protest against this, I sign myself a German soldier and Christian?l would give my name and regiment, but these words could get me coiirt-martial-led for divulging military secrets." This letter was from a'soldier on the western front:—"To the American Government, "Washington. U.S.A. Englishmen who have surrendered arc shot down in small grouos. With the French one is more considerate. I ask whether men let themselves be taken prisoner in order to be disarmed and shot down afterwards? Is that chivairv in battle? It IS no longer a secret among the pcoole: one hears everywhere that few prisoners are taken: they are shot down in small groups.' They say naively: 'We don't want any unnecessary mouths to feed. Where there is no one to enter "omplaint; there is no judge.' Ts there, then, no power in the world which can 'nut an end to these murders and rescue the victims? Where is Christianity' Where i< right ? Might is mU.—A Soldier and Man who is no Barbarian," I