Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 251, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1917 — German Troops Sicken at Brutal Work They Are Asked to Perform. [ARTICLE]

German Troops Sicken at Brutal Work They Are Asked to Perform.

The fact that the German soldiers themselves appealed to Ambassador Gerard as “the representative of a Christian state,” to protest against atrocities and butcheries in which their commanders forced them to participate will be disclosed in a forthcoming pamphlet by the committee on public information entitled “German War Practices.” One German soldier, conscience stricken with the massacre of Russian prisoners, implored the American ambassador to protest and signed his letter “A German soldier and Christian.” , , . Another, who through the ambassador, addressed his special appeal to the American government against the butchery of prisoners, signed his letter “A soldier and a man who is no barbarian.” This was the protest of a German soldier, an of a slaughter of Russian soldiers in the Mazunan lakes and swamps: “It was frightful and heartrending as these masses of human beings were driven to destruction. Above the terrible thunder of the cannon could be heard the heartrending cries of the Russians ‘Oh, Prussians; oh, Prussians’ —but there was no mercy. As I have heard, five men and one officer on our side went mad from these heartrending cries. But most of my comrades and the officers joked us the unfortunate and helpless Russians shrieked for mercy while they were being suffocated m the swamps and shot down. The order was: ‘Close up and forward. For days afterwards the heartrending yells followed me and I dare not to think, of them else I shall go mad. There is no God, no morality and no ethics any more. There are no human beings any more, but only beasts. Down with militarism.” There was the testimony of another German soldier on th eeastern front: “Russian Poland, Dec., 1914: In the name of Christianity I send you these words:

“My conscience forces me. as a Christian German soldier to inform you of these lines. “Wounded Russians are killed with the bayonet according to orders. “Russians who have surrendered are often shot down in masses according to orders in spite of their heartrending prayers'. In the hope that you as a representative of a Christian state will protest against, this, I sign myself: “A German soldier and a Christian. I would sign my name and regiment, but these words would get me court martialed for divulging military secrets.” This letter from a German soldier on the western front: “To the American government: Washington, U. S. A. “Englishmen who have surrendered are shot down in small groups. With the French one is more considerate. I ask whether they let themslevs be taken prisoners in order to be disarmed and shot down afterwards. Is that chivalry in battle? It is no longer a secret among the people; 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 complaint, there is no judge.’ Is there no power in the world which can put an end to these murders and rescue the victims? Where is Christianity? Where is right? Might is right. “A soldier and man who is no barbarian.”