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About Ashland tidings. (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 1918)
Monday, JanbaryTjlrtl ! GERMANY GUILTY o mr mm f WAR CONDUCT ii Atrocious Treatment of the Help less Part of Campaign -Plans of Military Leaders. iPOLICY OF FRIGHTFULNESS nerrorlsm Declared a Necessary Prin ciple in National Warfare Bru talities May Be Said to Be Di rectly Attributable to the Emperor Himself. The committee on public infor mation, appointed by the president, vnd consisting of the secretary of blate, secretary of war. secretary of ihe, miry, ami George Creel, official 'censor, has made public a mass of 'evidence dealing villi German war practices which shows the laisrr's 'leaders in the field and in command Hf captured points to he directly re sponsible for the beastliness which as characterized the operations of the. "If ii ns," in the, present conflict. 'Quotations from the pamphlet fol low: For ninny years lenders In every clv Jllzed nation linve been trying to make warfnre less brutal. Tlic grout hind bnnrks In this movement lire the Oe Wvn nnd Hague conventions. The for Siier made rules ns to the cure of the wick and wounded nnd established tin Jtod f'ros. At the first meeting t Ge neva, In 1Sfi4, It whs agreed, nnd until the present war It lias been taken for granted, that the wounded, nnd the doc tors nnd nurses who cared for tbein, would lie safe from nil attacks by the riioiny. The 1 Initio conventions, drawn up In ISflft nnd 1!07, innde Addi tional rules to soften the usages of witr and especially to protect nmicmnlmt- lints mil! eoiioticred hiniN. Germany took n proiniiieiit pint In these meet ings, and with the other nations sol emnly pledged her faith to keep nil the rule except one article In the Hague regulations. Thin was article 41. which fori mile the conqueror to force any of the conquered to give informa tion. All the other rules nnd regula tions she accepted In the most binding mnmier. But Germany's military lenders had no Intention of keeping these solemn promises. They hud been trained along different lines. Their lending generals for many years had been urg ing a policy of frightfulness. In the middle of the nineteenth century Von Olnnsewitz was looked upon ns the greatest military authority, and the rpethods which he advocated were used by the rrussian army In Its successful wars of 1S(i(i-1S71. Consequently be cause these wars had been successful, the wisdom of Von Clnusewit.' meth ods seemed to the Prussian army to lie fully proved. Policy of Frightfulness. Now, the essence of Von Chillsewitz' teachings was that successful war In volves the ruthless application of force. In the opening chapter of hli master work, "Vntn Krlege" ("On War"), he iys : "Violence anus Itself with the Inven tions of nrt mid science. . , . Self imposed restrictions, nlniost Impercep tible nnd hardly worth mentioning, termed usages of international law. accompany it without essentially Im pairing Its power. . . . Now. philan thropic souls might easily imagine that there Is a skillful method of disarm ing or subduing an enemy without causing too much bloodshed, and that this Is the true tendency of the art of war. However plausible this may ap pear, still It Is an error which must be dVMroved : for In such dangerous things ns war, the errors whic h pro ceed from n spirit of 'good-nnturecl-ness' are precisely the worst. As the use of physical force to the utmost ex tent by no means excludes the co operation of the Intelligence. It follows that be who uses force ruthlessly, with out regard to bloodshed, must obtain n superiority, if his enemy does not no use It." In 1 ST7-7H. In the course of a series of articles upon "Military Necessity mid Humanity." General voii Ilartnmnn wrote. In the same spirit ns Von dim newltz: "The enemy state must not ho spared the want ami wretrln tlms of war; these are particularly useful In shat , tei ing Its energy and subduing lis will." "Individual persons may be harshly dealt with when an example Is made of them, intended to serve as a warn ing. . . . Whenever a national war lireaks out. terrorism becomes a nec essary military principle." "It Is n gratuitous illusion to suppose that modern war does not demand far more brutality, far more violence, and at: action fur more general than was for merly the case." In 1SS1 .Von Moltke. who had been commander In chief of the Prussian army In the Kranco-Priissian war, de clared: "Perpetual pence Is h dream nnd imi even a beautiful dream. War is an ele ment In the order of the world estab lished by Gwd. By It the most noble virtues of mull are developed, courage and renunciation, fidelity to duty and the spirit nf sacrifice the soldier gives b!s)ife. Without war. the world voul jlcgcnerntt nnd lose itself in material ism." "The soldier Vi no endures suf fering, " privation and ' jfatlgue, who courts diiiig! cannot take only 'in prnpttfrMh to tin? resources of the country.' He must take all that Is nec essary to his existence. One has no right to demand of him anything super human." "The great good In wuT I tlint It should lie ended quickly, lb view of this, every means, except those which are positively eondemnable, must be permitted. I cannot, in any way, agrpe with the declaration of St. Petersburg when It pretends that 'the weakening of the military forces' of the enemy' constitutes the only legitimate method of procedure In v&r. No! One must attack all the resources of the enemy government, Ills finances, Ills railroads, his stock of provisions and even his prestige. . , ." Many other examples might be cited from the writings of German generals. The very best Illustration of this atti tude, however, is to be found In the emperor's various speeches, nnd espe cially in his speech to his soldiers on the eve of their departure fta China In KKifl. On July 27 the kaiser went to P.roiiierlinvon to bid fnreell to the German troops. As they fore drawn up, ready to embark for CUna, he nd dressed to them n last official message from the fntherlnnd. The local news paper reported his speech In full. In it appeared this advice and admonition from the emperor, the commander in chief of the army, the head of all Ger many: Soldiers Told to Be Merciless. "As soon ns you cime to blows with the enemy he will be tieaten. No inercy will be shon ! No prisoners vtfll be taken! As the Huns, under King At tlln, made a name for themselves, which is still mighty in trnditions and legends today, may the name of Ger man be so fixed in Chinn by your deeds, that no Chinese shall ever again dare even to look at a German askance. . . . Open the way for Kultur once for all." Kven the imperial councilors seem to have been shocked at the emperor's P"cch, and efforts were promptly made to suppress the oirciAntion of his exact words. The efforts were only partly successful. A few weeks later, when the letters from the German sol diers in China wore being published, in local German papers, the leading socialist newspaper, Vorwnerts, ex cerpted from them reports of atroci ties under the title "Letters of the linns." Many of the leaders In the relehstng felt very keenly the brutality of the emperor's speech. The obnox ious word "Huns" had excited almost universal condeninatlo. When the relehstng met. In November, the speech was openly discussed. Herr Lleber of the center (Catholic party), after quot ing the "no mercy" portion of the speech, added, "There are, alas, in Ger mnny groups enough who have regard ed the atrocities told in the letters which have been published as the duti ful response of soldiers so addressed and encouraged." The leader of the social democrats, Herr Rebel, spoke even more pointedly. Toward the end of a two-hour address on the atrocities committed by the Gorman soldiers In Cliina and on the speech of the em peror, he said : "If Germany wishes to bo the henrer of civilization to the world, we will follow witlut contradiction. But the ways and means in which this, world policy lias 1 u carried on thus far, in which It lias been defined by the em peror , . . are not. In our opinion, the way to preserve the world position of Germany, to gain for Germany the respect of the world." The consequences of the emperor's speech Rebel aptly described: "By It the signal was given, garbed In the highest authority of the German empire, which must have most weighty consequences, not only for the troops who went to China but also for those who stayed at home.. An expedition of revenge so barbarous ns this has never occurred in the last hundred years nnd not often In history; nt least, nothing worse than this has hap pened In history, either done by the Huns, by the Vandals, by Genghis Khun, by Tamerlane, or even by Tilly when he sucked Magdeburg." Atrocities in China. These atrocities In China or "Letters of the Huns" continued to be published In the Voi'wacrts for several years and appeared intermittently in the debates of the relehstng as late ns I'.MHi. At that time the socialist, Herr Kuncrt, reviewing the procedure In u trial of which he had been the victim in the previous summer, stated that he had offered to prove "that Gorman soldiers In China had engaged in wanton nnd brutal ravaging; that plunder, pillage, extortion, robbery, as well as rape and sexual abuses of the worst kind, had occurred on a very large scale ami that Gorman soldiers had participated In thoin." He had not been given an op-" portunity to prove his allegations, but had been sentenced to prison for three months for assailing the honor of the "whole German army." The ,out rngcoiisness of tills sentence was made clear by the revelations, made in the reicbslag shortly afterwards, of simi lar atrocities committed by German (iflielals and soldiers in Africa in the campaign against the Hereros. For the guidance of the officers In .-use the Inhabitants of conquered ter ritory should take up arms against the Herman army, the "German War Rook" quotes with approval the letter Napoleon sent to his brother Joseph: "The security of your dominion de pends on how you behave In the con quered provinc e. Burn down a dozen places which are not willing to sub mit themselves. Of course, not until you have first looted them ; my sol diers must not be allowed to go away with their hands empty. Have three to six persons banged in every village which has Joined the revolt; pay no respect to the cossaik" (that is, to members of the clergy). Butler to Remain In County Jail Circittt Judge Calkins handed down a. decision Friday morning dis missing the habeus corpus proceed ings that were brought several weeks ago by William E. Butler through his attorney, 0. C. Boggs, to either gain his freedom or be admitted to ball. The judge held that there were no irregularities In Butler's commit ment, as was claimed, and that he was properly held in Jail. These pro ceedings had, been before the court for several weeks and will result in Butler's having to remain in the county jail to face a charge of mur der for the killing of Donald Stew art of the Brownshoro district, who was shot October 20. Butler will be held at least until the grand jury meets In February. Klamath Falls Man Made Good Record That Klamath Falls is stiM on the map is to, be acknowledged when one reads of the performances of Kieth Ambrose In the Army-Marnie foot ball classic held on New Year's day at Pasadena. The former f re chief of Klamath Falls made the first score of the game when be booted the ball over the bar for tiwee points from the 31-yard line in the first period. In the fourth quarter he kicked another pretty goal lrom the TO-yard line, besides adt.'ng one point to the Marine's scoie by kick ing goal after Huntington made a touchdown. The seven points gath ered by Kieth equalled the total score of the Camp Lewisites, the Ma rines garnering nineteen to their credit during the game. Klamath Frills Herald. Kieth Ambrose is a brother of Mrs. C. W. Chattin of this city and is well known here, where he has visited many times. Tanks Result of Conceited Ideas No one man or one department of the British government can take credit for "inventing" the tanks, ac cording to a correspondent of the As sociated Press. They came Into be ing as the result of a long period of study and co-ordinated effort by many men acting under three separ ate departments', the war office, the admiralty and the ministry of muni tions. In the autumn of 1914 when the belligerents on the western front had bettled down to trench warfare, it became obvious that some means of parrying the danger of well-directed and well-protected machine-gun fire from the German trenches must be discovered if the English infantry was to carry out assaults with suc cess. One of the first proposals put for ward was for a machine 100 feet long, 46 feet high and SO feet wide, weighing some 300 tons, propelled ; by an 800-hprsepower engine, and with driving wheels 40 feet in diame ter. Another early suggestion, nnd the one which led most directly to the tank3, was made by Colonel Swin ton in October, 1914, to build arm ored cars on a tractor system, an American invention. Experiments with various tractors were made on behalf of the war office and by a small expert committee of the ad miralty under Winston Churchill, then first lord. Through the medi um of the committee of imperial de fense, the various efforts for the so lution of the problem "were co-ordinated, and certain conditions were laid down which had to be fulfilled by the proposed ear. From among the numerous types of tractors inspected, the most satis factory was found to be a caterpillar with an endless self-laid track, over .which internal driving wheels could be propelled by the engines. In February, 1916, the first tank was completed and taken down to a farm near London. Here pits, trench es and ramparts had been construct ed. The tests were so satisfactory that an order was given on the spot for 100 machines. The ministry of munitions became responsible for the speediest possible construction of the order. Many Improvements were made during this period of construc tion, and the first delivery wasnade in July, 1916. The new machines were of two slightly different types. One was called the male type, and was armed with two Hotchkiss quick-firers and a subsidiary machine-gun armament. These were designed for dealing at close quarters with the concrete em placements of German machine guns. The other, or female type, wa$ armed only with machine guns, and was more suitable for dealing with ma-chlnei-gun personnel and riflemen. At the end of July, 1916, the tanks and their crews had become so profi cient that It was possible to hold two exhibition combats over a prepared trench system, reproducing a line of German defenses. At the end of August 50 tanKs were loaded at night and sent to France. When delivered in France the tanks only traveled at night, and during the day were covered with huge tar paulins and strictly guarded. The first tanks were all painted In camouflage style for purposes of con cealment, and each tank had its own name, like a ship. A whole series of them were named after various drinks, such as Cafe-au-Lait, Char treuse, Cliablls, Cognac, Champagne, Creme-de-Menthe. Another series bore names of Scotch clans Clan Cameron, Clan Ruthven, Clan Gor don, Clan McTavlsh. The tanks first went Into action In that portion of the Somme offensive which began on September 15. The objective was to drive the Germans out of some high ground running east and south of Thiepval. The effect was as exhilarating on the British troops as it was dumfounding to the Germans. It is recorded that many of the British infantrymen were so overcome with laughter at their un gainly antics that they were scarcely able to keep up with the procession. Baptist Church Calls Minister At the annual business meeting of the Baptist church held January 1 a call was extended to Rev. J. N. Ferris to fill the pulpit made vacant by the resignation of Rev. J. H. Vine several months ago. The call was formally accepted by Mr, Ferris at the church service Sunday morning, and he will take active charge of the pastorate of this church. Mr. Ferris has been serving as supply for the Baptist congregation for some time, and is an efficient pastor and elo quent preacher. Camp Life Agrees With the Soldiers , ' Haven't you noticed how perfect ly all right are the boys who are home from camp on holiday fur lough?" remarked a citizen of Ash land the other day. "it is not un usual to hear people say they hardly knew their own boys when they re turned, not because of being the worst for their experience, but the better for it. ' They certainly are looking fine and wholesome, and they are better, "Miot only physically, but in every way, being .mentally keener and with greatly broadened visions of life, as well as clearer com prehension of what it is to lie an American citizen. "Of course it Is a great sacrifice they are making, and are offering to make, even their lives. You hear persons asking why it is the best and most promising In the land should lie sent "forth to 'fight when there are so many that could be spared. To send the worthless would be no sacri fice at all. When God asked for a sacrifice, didn't he demand the first lings of the flock, without flaw or State Bank of Ashland Saving and Commercial Accounts blemish.' and clean? The spirit of sacrifice has not been changed sine? then, nor will It ever lie changed, for then it would not mean anything, really. None but patriots may lie depended upon to fight the batles of the country, and that is why we are sending these fine'young men to as sist In ushering In a new world era. "The reason these boys are so spick and span Is that they are be ing taught and trained in the great- FORD TIRES 30x3 Smooth, $8.85 . Suction Grip $9.25 30x3'2 11.20 " " 1170 'Sent Postpaid on Receipt of Prlco Keystone Tire & Auto Co. 4 ' m Wit 'MfeS&ro you get the most in value and quality that your money carr huy. Standard, solid packed goods of the finest quality .l ... n. chon.'olfir Personal service is nuu iinvui ni . vw our watchword. Wi lower tkt Plaa Gfocety est school in the world. In the ranks they all look alike, and their officers notice only the difference in efficiency, and that is what places the men on their metal and prompts them to put forth their best efforts. Their Instructors being capable men, they soon come to respect them and to accept their instructions as proper, If not really necessary. This is the reason we hear so little complaining against officers. And when the boys come home they will be men of broader vision, and with different Ideas concerning citizenship and pa triotism. They will not be long in taking their places In the legislature and In congress, and our country will take a Btep forward. ' " 'Is it worth while to make all these great sacrifices?' Is another question that is often propounded, and for a while It was often answered in the negative, but not so now. Since we are la and the purpose of the war is clear, we pledge our for tunes, our sacred honor and our lives to the maintenance of the principles of true democracy as against autoc racy." Local and Personal Percy Grisez writes home that ho will . leave for Washington, D. C from Angel Island Tuesday, the 8th. Mrs. H. R. King of Kennett, Cal., is in Ashland spending a few weeks. She has taken rooms at Mrs. A. L. Irwin's house on North .Main street, where she Is located in company with her sister, Mrs. Hershal Ayer, also of California. Kenneth K i n j; a student of the University of California, who has been spending the Christmas holidays with liis mother, Mrs. II. R. King, in Ashland, returned to Berkeley Satur day. Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Balis and daughters, Janet and Jean, who have been spending a fortnight with friends in Sun Francisco, returned home Monday morning. Mrs. Mary K. Snelling of North Yakima arrived this morning for a visit with her daughter, Mrs. Joe Al nutt. Mrs, Snelling is a sister of our townsman, C.B. Watson. Rev. and Mrs. P. K. Hammond re ceived a card this morning from their son, Sergeant V. W. Hammond, that he arrived safely in France.. Ser geant Hammond is in the quarter master's corps, IClst supply train of the American Expeditionary Forces. C. B. Watson of Montague, who recently received a first lieutenant commission In the civil engineering corps of the U. S. army, was called to report at Petersburg, Va., January 5 and left Montague the 2Sth. He writes to his father, C. B. Watson, of this city, en route, that it was hot and dusty through Arizona and Texas. In the account of the Red Cross remittances published in Thursday's issue of the Tidings a typographical error occurred, .which should read that the collection to da'te are 97.53 per cent of the $ 10,82 8 subscribed, instead of S9 7.53. FARMERS MAY ASK .FOR FEDERAL AID Oregon farmers will lie powerless to do their share In helping the United States win the war unless NO MA'ITLK what your needs are its safety and economy to deal with. us. You will always find here G-l A eompUU, cUaa, pur itock of quality food t tho lowoit fouibla prico. ' We want your patronage, nd in return will Bee that - m 9 riotnot tkt quality. Telephone 78 drastic measures are taken to provide a supply of farm laborers, according to J. T. Hinkle, president of the Ore gon Irrigation Congress, which met in Portland the last of the week. At the present time considerable work is being held up because no men are available in the large farming dis tricts of eastern and central Oregon. What measures the farmers will take to improve the labor situation is a matter of conjecture, but among the delegates to the congress there was; considerable discussion of appealing to the government to regulate the supply of labor in the production of food, as one of the vital forces in the war. "The past year has been the most successful year in Irrigation history In Oregon," said President Hinkle. "In spite of the unsettled financial situation throughout the country, the Ochoco Irrigation, project, with a bond issue of $800,000, was floated and carried through successfully, be sides other smaller ones. More than that, provision has already been made for several new projects which are ready to be taken up as soon as the bond issue is certified by the state board." Classified Advertisements TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY. WANTED Good heavy farm horse. Address A., care of Tidings. 66-4 FOR RENT Furnished five-room bungalOw; piano. Also farm and Implements. Inquire 169 Ohio street. 66-4t REWARD Five dollars reward for information that will lead to the recovery of lady's gown, rose filet yoke, letter Y embroidered in front, taken from Hotel Austin clothes line Christmas eve. Hotel Austin. 6U-tf FOl.'M) One crippled stray red pig, no marks; came to my place. Own er can have same by paying for this notice and keep. W. N. Grubb. C6-2t GIRL, WANTS WORK with good fam ily. Domestic or clerical. Inquire at this office or 1221 Jowa street. 6fi-4tc FOR RENT Two housekeeping rooms. $8. Light and water fur nished. Also large first floor front room with four windows and two doors, $6. Light cooking permit ted. Phone 411-R.- C6-lt FOR RENT Furnished house three squares from postoffice. Four rooms and bath. Every conven ience, including gas and free porch light. $10 to permanent tenant. Phone 411-R. fiO-lt FOR SALE Hay, and also some shants weighing about 125 pounds; each. Mark True. Phone. G6-2tv STRIKE IN MILLS at West Linn and Oregon City has left a few posi tions vacant. Wages $3.10 for nine hours. Board 75c per day, lied free for January. Strike still on, but state police have control of matter. Over 700 men now working. Take Southern Pacific train to Oregon City, cross suspen sion bridge and apply for work at employment office on mill' walk. Address Employment Office, West Linn Paper Mills, West Linn, Ore gon. 6G-2t WANTED To list homes In and near Ashland for prospective set tlers of our faith. Bargains only. No commissions. Deal direct. Call, or address Elder J. G. Gilstrap. Church of God (Seventh day)', nt. 4 7 Fifth stree1, Ashland. 6G-lmo. FOR SALE Almost given away Only $1 down, $1 a week for a business lot In Talent. Price $350. One near the bank and one near the church. Also one residence lot-in Medford, $150; close in; same terms. Address. A. Y. Lind sey, El Monte, Cal. 66-31" Central Point, Oregon