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fERMANS EXCUSE ATROCIOUS ACTS Murder, Pillage and Arson Part of Deliberate Scheme of Warfare. HIGH OFFICERS GO ON RECORD No Possible Evasion of Responsibility for Bestial Acts Which for Centu. ries Have Had No Parallel. Officially Indorsed. The people of the United States are beginning to learn the truth con cerning the conduct of the war by Germany. Proof is offered that Ger man officials deliberately lied in their statements concerning atroci dies committed by the Belgians and allies. That their own soldier. were disgus8ted by the 'cruelties practiced at the order of high officers of the kaiser is shown. Extracts taken from pamphlets issued follow: The Vorwaerts of Berlin, October 22, Z1914, said: "We have already been able to es iablish the falseness of a great number of assertions which have been made with great precision and published everywhere In the press. concerning al eged cruelties conmitted, by the popu itions of the countries with which IGermany is ti war, upon German sol diers and civilians. We are now in po sition to silence two others of these fantastic stories. "The war corres)on(lent of the Ber liner Tagebhitt spoke a few weekR ago of cigars and elgarettes filled with powder alleged to have been given out or sold to our soldiers with diabolicti 'intent. le even pretended that he had seen with his own eyes hundreds of this kind of cigarettes. We learn from an authentic source that this story of cigars and cigarettes is nothing but a ,brazen Invention. Stories of soldiers whose eyes are-alleged to have been torn out by frunes-tirmurs are circulat ed throughout Germany. Not a single case of this kind hais been ofilially es Itablished. "it matters little that reports of this nature hear an appearance of positive certitude, or are even vouched for by eye-witnesses. The desire for notoriety, the absence of criticism, and personal jerror play an unfortunate part in the 'days in which we are living. Every nose shot off or simply bound up, levery eye removed, is Immediately transfornied Into a nose or eye torn away by the francs-tireurs. Already the iVolkszeitung of Cologne has been able, contrary to the very categorieal asser tons from Aix-la-Chapelle, to prove 4 t there was no soldier witf' his eyes rn out in the field ambulance of this 1w. It was said, also, that people wounded in this way were under treat vnent in the neighborhood of Berlin, 'but whenever Inquiries have been made In regard to these reports, their abso lute falsity has been demonstrated. At length these reports were concentrated at Gross Lichterfelde. A newspaper published at noon and widely eircn Inted in Berlin printed a few days ago In large type the news that at the ~Izafetto of Lichterfelde alone fhere ~w re 'ten G~erman soldiers, only slight iwounded, whose eyes had been wick edly torn out.' But to a request for informat tion by Coinrade Liehknecht the following written reply was sent 'by the chief medical officer of the above-mentioned field hospital, jlated jthe eighteenth of the month: "'Sir: Happily there is no truth iwhatever in these stories. 'Yours obediently, I'PRIOFERSORI RAUTENBERO,'" German Soldiers Protested. Thus the teachings of the German 'War Book and of the German apostles of frightfulness, suspicion and hatred, had now begun to bear their natural fruit. But the voice of protest was not entirely silent. A considerable number of letters by German soldiers who were shocked by the German strocities were sent to Ambassador Gerard, because he was the representa tive of the United States, the leading neutral nation. The three letters which follow, in translation, were re ceived by the American ambassador from German soldiers. Here is the protest of a German sol d11cr, an eye-witness of the slaughter of JRu /pn soldiers in the Masuirlan lakes . Hf wnmps: iU~twas frightful, heart-rending, as i.mns maage, of,,upuan beings. were driven to destruction. Above the ter 'rible thunder of the cannon could De 1heard the heart-rending cries of the Ruissias: 'O Prussians ! 0 Prussians !' -but there was rno mercy. Our captain had ordered : 'Tihe whole lot must die; so rapid fire.' As I have heard, five men anid one oflicer on our sidle went mad from these heaet-rending cries. 'But most of my comrades and the offi eers jloked as tihe unarmed and helpless Riussians shrieked for mnorey while they were being suffocated in the swamps antd shot dIown. The order was : 'Close up and at it harder !' For days afterwards those heaitrt-rending yells followed me nnd I (dare not think of them or I shall go mad. There is no God, there is no morality and no ethies any more. There tire no human beings ony more', but ('nly beasts. Down with "if You are a truth-loving main, please re-ceive these limn from a com. mol Prussian soldier." iFolowinag Is the te'stimonmy of another German soldier on the eastern front2 "Russian Poland, December 18, '14. "In the name of Christianity I send you these words. "Wounded Russians are killed with the bayonet according to orders. "And Russians who have surrender ed are often shot down in masses ac cording to orders, in spite of their heart-rending prayers. "In the hope that you, as the repre sentative of a Christian state, will protest against this, I sign myself, "A GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRIS TIAN." The third letter, from the western front, shows the same horrOr of the system of which the writer was a wit ness. "To the American Government, Washington, U. 8. A. "Englishmen who have surrendered are shot down in small groups. With the French one is more considerate. I ask whether men let themselves be taken prisoner in order to be die armea and shot down afterward? 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 com plaint, there is no judge.' Is there then no power in the world which can put an end to these murders and res cue the victims? Where is Chris tianity? Where is right? Might is right. "A SOLDIER AND A MAN WHO I NO BARBARIAN." Socialists Oppose System Many of the Germans, as has been already indlented, do not believe The reports of the atrocities committed by the Belgian civilians and refuse to ac cept the system of frightfulness. The Vorwaerts, the Vnading soelallt paper, which has a very wide circle of rend ers, has opposed the polley of fright fulness. All honor to its editors who have so courngeously opposed the pow erful military authority! Its editorial, entitled "Our Foes," published Augus$ 23, 1914, rends as follows: "What should one say when even such an organ as the Deutsches Offi zier-Blatt exprep-!es its sympathy with a 'demand that 'the beasts' who are talien as francs-tireurs should not be killed. but only wounded so that they may then be left to a fate 'which makes any help impossible?' Or what should we say when the Deutsches Offizier Blatt states that 'a punitive destruc tion even of whole regions' cannot 'af ford full recompense for the bones of a atigle niurdered iomeranian grena dier?' Those are the desires of blood. thirsty fanatics and we are thoroughly ashamed of ourselves because it is possible that there are people among us who urge such things." "Barbarlem," Declares Vorwaerts. On the following day, August 24, 1914, the Vorwaerts returned to the attack in an editorial "Against Bar. barism." . . ."One might, in the first place, possibly believe that such a de mand for a bloody vengeance [against alleged Belgian outrages] emanates from a single disease-racked brain; but it appears that whole groups among certain classes who represent German kultur want to Indulge in oe. gies of barbarism and to devise a whole system for the purpose of or ganizing 'a wnr of revenge.' "What of law and custom!i Such thoughts do not stir a 'great nation.' Thus in a leading article of the Ber liner Neueste Nachrichten, the de mand is made that all the authorities in Brussels--one, the secondhburgomas ter, is genezously excepted--should be immediately seized and subjected to trial in order to expiate the wrongs which, according to fragnmontary and highly uncertain reports, were said to have been committed by the people. They dlemand that the capturied city should immediately pay a fine of 500, 000,000 marks ;that all stores of the conqiueredl territory be requisitioned without paying the inhabitants a single penny for them." Vorwaerts in Pretest. Three years later, August 26. 1017, the Vorwaerts quoted the following passage from the Deutsche Tageszei tung: "We have a ring of politicians who hold that might, makes right (Macht politiker), who despise the forces of the inner life andl believe that they must eliminate all ethical points og view . . . from foreign and social politics. For them, Germany of the present and of the future is the coun try of the Krupps and Borsigs, of the Zeppelins and the U-boats. Any idea of a connection between politics and morals is rejected and any reference to the right of a mortnI method of con plderation is ridiculed as delusion and sentimentality." The German. officers were provided with the forms to he used in terror izing the conquered people. The comn mon soldIers were provided with phrase hooks wvhieh would enable themi to impose their will upon the terrified people. Minister Blrandl Whitlock in his report to the state dlepartment on Septembler 12, 1917, w"rites: "The. Geraman soldiers were provid e~d wvith phrn-se b'ookms- giviag alternate translato! in (Germnmu andt Frmench of such seat ences as: 'lands up. (It Is the very first senltence 31n the book.) "'Carry out all tihe turnlt~ire. "'I am thirsty. Binlg me somne beer, gin, ruam. " Toui haive to supply a barrel of wine' and a keg of i'eer. "'[I'ad melt to thea wf.ilthIilest Iihbi innts of this village. I ayove Oer t~o reqluirit: n several barrels o'f wine. "'Show ius the wnty to --. lI you Lead n astrny. you will be sho," BRITISH SCORE VICTORIES IN AIR Nearly Four Thousand Machines Downed in Year. Army and Navy Busy. London, July 3.-In one year on the British Western front the royal air force has accounted for 3,233 en emy airplanes. In the game period the naval airmen shot down 623, a total of 3,856. An official statement deajlne with these operations says: "The royal air force during the year beginning July 1, 1917, on the British Western front destroyed 2.150 hostile machines and drove down out of con trol, 1,083. In the same period the air force units working in conjunctior: with the navy shot down 623 hostilE machines. "During this period 1.094 of our ma chines were missing. 92 of these were working with the navy. "On the Italian front from April to June, 1918. the British destroyed 15 ,hostile machines and drove down six lout of control. Thirteen of ours were |missing. "On the Saloniki front betw nary and June 21 hostile mit were destroyed' and 13 were 6 down out of control. Four of t, were lost. "From March to June in Dgypt a Palestine, 26 hostile airplanes wer destroyed and 51 were driven down out of control. Ten of ours were miss Ing. "In all the theaters of the war the British air superiority and strength progressed rapidly and continuousl.. From this it is safe to assume tha! when the new factor of America's out put, both a!rcraft and personnel, en ters the situation of the , fighting zonaes, the aerial ascendancy of the entente allies should give them very great advantages." Timely Dramna on the Sereen. With the eyes of the world centered upon the great events which are trans piring across the water-the stories that come back of the boys goi "over the top" and the unflinching he roism with which each one is "doing his bit"-the events that are vividly shown in Francis Ford's stirring scireen-Vtory, "Beriin (via Amer ica'', hit close to the heart. For who mong us has not sent a son, a bus nd, a sweetheart or a brother on in o the great adventure with a smilc nd a hidden tear. It is the story of an American boy. ne just like your own--who even (ie sacrifice of his good name, works fo the cause' which is dear to him. Frncls. Ford directed the production and enacts the leading role. Opposite him plays Edna Emerson and a no table e,ast including Jack Newton. Wil Ham Cntield, Lois Scott, Dell Coyne and Emma Warren. Alanager. Gilbert M. Tyler has ob tained "Berlin via America" for the Opera House and ' l be shown two days, next .onday add Tuesday. To Clean Off Church Grounds. Everyone who has relAtives, or who is interested in any way, are reqiuestod to meet at Beaverdam church on Thursday, August 1st for the purpose of cleaning off the church grounds. SUBSCRIBE TO "THE ADVERTISER' 'Notice of Scholarship Examination T1IIE CITADEKL Cbarleston, S. . Courses In Engineering, Sciences, and Art. B. S. and C. E. Deigrees. Mili tary instruction of unsurpassed excel lence. Classed by the War Depart ment as "Distinguished Military Col lege". One vacancy in the State Scholar ships for Laurens County will be filled by competitive examination on August 9th. These scholarships provide for nearly all expenses, and only those candidates who are unable to pay are eligible for them. Necessary blanks can be obtained from the Superintend ent at the Citadel. A limited number of pay cadets will be received. Expenses, including board, uniforms, tuition, and all hep fees. $337. Next session begins Spt. 20th. Catalog sent on request. Address Col. 0. J. BOND. Superintendent, TIlE CITAIsEL Charleston, S. C. 52-4t Lame Shoulder. This allment is usually caused by rheumatism of the muscles. All that is needed is absolute rest and a few applications of Chabnberlain's Lini ment. Try it. Howdy P. . P. PURITY AND PROGRESS LOYAL ORDER of MOOSE Welcome Brothers THERE ARE NO MOOSE IN POTTER'S FIELD! THERE E NO HUNGRY MOOSE! WE IN ARE700000 AMERICA Lodges in all the princi- Notice Organized 1889 pal cities of the United OEning States.. ' Club rooms open R ooms With anh every day 8 a. m. to 11 Laurens Lodge p. m. Open Charter Lounging Roomst Open Charter Fee Only G. M. Tyler, at Opera House Games, Music and other $6.00 ForAppicatic for Memberip entertainments f r e e to Regular Fee $25 Regla Fe 25"Texas" A. B. Rit .hie members. .Free; ocation Join Now and Save $19 At Opera House, July 19 al education for the child. BenefitsDistrict Supervisor Bene itsSupeme odgeof he Wrld ren of deceased members. $7.00 a week Sick and Order M Accide t Benefits, $100 B u r i a I Benefit. Free After 1,500 in Laurens County. while chldren are in school Medical Attent on for Self Join now and build your own home, if she desires to accom and Family. Dues $1.00 P. S. See and hear Texas*Ritchie per month ;no assess'ments. at Op- House Friday, July 19. pany them. Wht ThOp ArCharter The oyalOrdr ooGs i. nTylr an i Ope oyalreroMosdesntter surace oganzatin. tis n exJFo r Apli ate ino r ern withoesreip. r oii cia Ode wtflbeefc T eat xs" Ardi cal viwsoitirScaindsus thrbbig tar abveSth pres Lg of the Wol Afes150ised uont. A nnesteldeoh (lea, te lve o wiead Jfin no an bideours a free h m n. Over 0,00 in te nCharolxa inasThsieea