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About The Bend bulletin. (Bend, Or.) 1903-1931 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 1918)
hkni) hum.htin, nRxn ohkgon, thviihday, hkitkmiikii , hub FAGR0 The (bnfeSsi of a Gerriiaf vesQtier f Written by a Prussian Officert-? ' Who Participated in the RavafZl ling andPitlaging of Belgium, ' && V - CHAPTER V. Not fnr from Sommcpy. the Frcnrh rear guard stopped npiln. Four but teries of our nrtlllery were brought into position nnd our company, nlong Avlth innrblne guns, were ordered to protect the nrtlllery. The nrtlllery of ficers did not think this sufficient pro tection because the nlrplnnes bnd dis covered the presence of strong French cavalry detachments nnd n cavalry at tack was suspected. However, a stronger guard could not be provided nnd there was nothing to be done but take our position and make the best of the situation. We dug ourselves In to the right nnd left of the batteries. In a field of small pine trees. The ma chine guns were set up nnd supplied with ammunition. We were then given Instructions as to what to do In the event of a cuvalry attack. An old major of Infantry, with white hair, took command. Our unit was placed with the Infantry, but our "brave" of ficers disappeared suddenly. To them the defense of the fatherland was the business of a private. Since wo had been assigned to assist Infantry, our officers considered themselves super fluous and took French leave. t This state of affairs affect only pioneer officers who, when their units are nttached to Infantry or chns seur divisions, scarcely ever toko part In a battle. This was the case with our officers during my whole war ca reer. They remained fnr away from the gunfire In comfortnblc security. This Is also the case with many In fantry captains and almost all higher officers. Majors, colonels, etc., never take part In a storming nttack. 1 was told, nnd several times I observed this myself. Our Instructions were as follows: In the event of a cavalry nttack, every thing must be quiet. The gun must be pointed but hidden. The mnchlne gun must not be fired until the major In command gives the order. Then there must be a lively, quick fire. Our batteries fired violently at n biplane flying high over them which gave sig nals with star shells which were read only by the observer. But the expected attack did not come, the enemy's Infantry was not ft) be seen. We prepared to resume our march and were all ready to move when the order came to bivouac. The pot where we were to rest was as usual fixed by the staff so that they knew where to find ns at any time. Hardly had we reached the place when our field kitchen, which we supposed had been lost, nppenred as If It had come out of he ground. Those In charge of the field kitchen had re ceived no knowledge of our losses of the Inst few days and had cooked for the old number. They were greatly surprised on seeing Instend of a brave company of strong "pioneers, a lot of ragged, exhausted, crushed human shadows. We were given soup, bread, meat, apples and every one received a cigarette, which was more welcome to most of us thun food nnd drink. The next morning we slept until six o'clock and even though we were lying on the bare ground It was very hard to wake us. Ilretkfast was excellent. It consisted of mutton which had been requisitioned, vegetables, bread, coffee. a goblet of wine, nnd ham. Our cap tain told us to eat all we could ns we bad a hard day's inarch before us. We resumed our march at seven o'clock. Everybody was In high spirits and In the course of our conversations It became apparent that we had lost track of the time entirely. Nobody knew whether It was Monday or Wednesday or whether It was the fifth or tenth of the month. This condition became more and more general. Sol diers never know the day of the week; one Is Just like another, Saturday, Sunday or Thursday. Wo stopped to rest nt noon on n large farm but were obliged to wait In the rain for the field kitchens. Mean while we he.lned gurselyesj. We S.hot We will give you value for your money in what can be procured in the markets and we adhere strictly to all Food Administration Rules Baker's Grocery dns b & s?7siIs . - ' one of the cows grazing In the meadow, cut open the hide without bothering to drain the blood from the carcass. Then eveiybody cut off a piece of meat, still warm, which was fried In n pot cover or cntei rnw with a little salt by a great many of the soldiers. This kill ing of entile wns repented almost dally by the soldiers nctlng without orders from their superiors. As n consequence they all got stomach trouble from eat ing meat which was too fresh without bread .or vegetables. In spite of this the practice was continued. If n sol dlcrbecnme hungry during a pause In the marching and found a pig. cow or lamb, he shot It, cut out a piece for his own use, and lot the rest spoil. Under n burning midday sun we marched on nmld clouds of dust, along a road used by tnunltlons columns and other units, which never gnve the dust an opportunity to settle. In nil the fields which we passed, fugitives had set up their camps, where they lived like poor homeless gypsies. Many enmo up to us nnd begged for scraps of bread. We marched without resting till Into In the evening and at about nine o'clock wo approached the city hall of Soramepy. In and around Som rucpy a battle had started. We were ordered to take a part of the north west section of the city. It was al ready dark and once more wo halted. The fields all around us were covered with dead. In the mlddta of the streets were French batteries and munition columns. Horses and drivers had been killed. After n tcn-mlnutc rest we started again and In double-quick step ni proached a little forest. In which dis mounted cavalry and Infantry were engaged with the enemy In a desperate nand-to-hnnd fight. As a subterfuge wo threw ourselves Into the place with blood-curdling yells. We succeeded In the darkness In reach ing the enemies' renr. The surprise attack was a success and tbe French, startled by our yells and by the at tack, threw up their hands nnd sur rendered. Mercy was not shown them by the Infuriated cavalrymen. Whenever there nppeured to be any letup of the slaughter of the disarmed soldiers by our men new horrors were enacted under the commands of the officers, who kept shouting, "No quar ter, slaughter everybody." Such were the orders of our distinguished offi cers. We pioneers nlto find to take part In this cold-blooded murder of un armed men. who had thrown down their arms when they rentlzed the fu tility of further resistance. Our offi cers took cure this time, as In many earlier and later Instances, that there should not be ninny pilMiuer taken. Tbu pioneer bus a sidenrui which, according to the luw of uutlous, must not be used because the back' of this sldenrm consists of n three-millimeter sharp steel suw. In peace times the pioneers are not drilled with the bnyo net because this sldenrm should be used only for the special duties whl"h the pioneers perform but the law of nations Is not tho law of Prussian mili tarism. We were obliged to ue the saw from tho beginning of the wnr. It was In opposition to all the laws of humanity. When an enemy had this saw In his breast nnd the victim had long since stopped every effort of resistance nnd an effort was made to try and remove the deadly steel from the wound nn In stnnt and horrible death resulted. Oftentimes this horrible weapon be came embedded In tho breast of a vic tim so firmly that the attacker, who had to have back his sldenrm again would be obliged to pluce his foot upon the breast of his victim and use all his force to recover the murderous Instru ment. Tho dead nnd wounded In horrible condition lay all around us. Tho moans of tho wounded men would hnve soft ened a stone but not the heart of a Prussian soldier. Not nil tho soldiers .approved this skmSSw' senseless, wniilnh uuThlcTT Rome "TfT those officer who bnd ordered us In kill tho French were themselves klllrd by mistake In the darkness of the night by their own men. Suon mistakes are still being repented almost dally and I could cite many names and places to bear out this testimony. On this particular night a captain nnd n first lieutenant met their fate. A second-year Infantryman stubbed the captain In the abdomen and the first lieutenant received n stab In the back. Hotli died In n few minutes. Neither of their slayers felt any remorse and none of us felt Inclined to reproach them. We nil knew that two murder ers had received their Just deserts. Another Instance requires me to run somewhat ahead of the sequence of events. As I talked to a comrade of my company the next day' I asked him for a poeketknlfe and In reach I tig Into his pocket be pulled out three car trldges. I was surprised that he should carry cartridges In his trouser's pocket nnd nsked him If he had no room In his belt. "I hnve." he snld. "but these three hnve u special mission. There are mimes of the Intended victims on these bullets." Some time Inter after we hnil be come good friends I nsked him ngnlu about the three cartridges. He had only one left. I thought about It a great deal and In my mind went over the noncommissioned officers, who. be fore wnr was declared had treated us like animals and whom we had hated as only tiumnn (lends can be hated. Two of these had found their grave In France. The murder of Frenchmen who bnd surrendered continued as long as an enemy wns olive. Then we received orders to determine If the enemies lying on the ground were nil dead and unable to tight. If anyone was found simulating death It wns ordered that he be killed. Itut the soldiers had lost some of the fever which had seized them during tho battle and refused to obey this order. How they fell about It wns Illustrated by the remark of a membcr.of my company: "We had better look once more nnd sec If the two officers are really dead and If not they ought to tie killed with out mercy for n command Is n com mand." We now advanced quickly but our part In the battle was over as the en tire French line had retired to make a fresh stand, two kilometers west of Sommcpy. The city wns mostly In !l nines. The enemy artillery bombard ed the town without Intermission nnd shells burst all around. Several hundred prisoners were cor ralled In the market place. Several French shells struck the prisoners but they were obliged to remain where they were. An officer of my company, Lieut. A. It. Neesen. remarked thnt no hnrm wns done as the prisoners knew nt least how their own ammunition tasted. Toward one o'clock the bntllo south of Sommcpy reached Its climax. When the Germnns ndvnnced to mnke storm ing attacks on nil points the French gnve up their positions und retired In the direction of Stilppes. Whether our compnny wns no longer considered tit to fight or whether wo were not needed any longer I do not know. We received orders to go Into quarters. Hut neither a barn nor a stable could be found so that nothing remained but to camp In the open. Tho bouses were all filled with wounded. Citizens of the town, who had not fled were all gathered In a largo barn. Their houses were most ly destroyed so thnt they had to mnke use of what shelter was offered them. Tin-re wns one exception to this nr rangement and that was n very old lit tle motherly woman sitting, bitterly crying, by the debris of her late homo and nobody could Induce her to leave. In the bnrn, which served ns a idicl ter to the civilians, were thrown to gether men and women, youths, chil dren nnd old men. Many were wound ed by shell splinters nnd cartridges and others had suffered burns. I'very where was the most terrible misery; sick mothers und half-starved Infants for whom there wns no milk were obliged to perish here; old people died from the excitement and fright of the previous few days and last of all men and women In the prime of life slowly died from wounds becuuso there was nobody to care for them. A company of Hessian reserves, every one a veteran, pnssed with bowed heads nnd tired feet. They must have hnd a very long march. Their of ficers tried to make them move more lively. They ordered thut a song be sung but the Hessians were not In th" mood, "Will you sing, you pigs?" cried nn officer and the pitiful-looking "pigs" tried to obey this order. Faintly sound ed from the ranks of the overtired men : "Dciitschland, Deutschlaiid rjeber Alios, Ueber Alios In l)er Welt." Desplto their broken strength, their tired feet, disgusted nnd resentful, these men sang their symphony of su-por-Oormnnlsm. Several comrades who like myself hud wutched this troop puss enmo to mo nnd snld, "Let tis go to the camp and try to sleep so that we might for get nil this." Wo were hungry nnd nn the wny homo caught several chickens. We nto them hulf-raw nnd then luld down In the open nnd slept until four o'clock In tho morning when we had to be ready to inarch. Our destination on this day wns Sulppes. Ik-fore tho march started the following army order was read : . "Soldiers, his majosty tho emperor, our supremo war lord, thanks tho sol diers of tho Fourth army and sends to them his full appreciation, You have saved our beloved Germany from tho Invuslon of hostile hordes. We will not !' Sitting, (Utterly Crying, by the Debris of Her Late Home. resl TinTTI flic Inst chcliiy lie's TiiT TTTe ground nnd before the leaves fall from tho trees we shall return homo vic torious. The enemy Is In full retrent and the Almighty will bless our arms further." After this talk we gnve three cheers, something which hnd become routine for us. And then we resumed our march. We now hnd plenty of time nnd opportunity to discuss tho grati tude expressed by the supremo wnr lord. We could not mnke out Just what fatherland we hnd to defend so far In France. One of tho soldiers expressed the opinion that the Lord had blessed our arms, to which another replied: "A religious man repenting such silly sentiments Is guilty of sucrllege. If he speaks seriously." Everywhere, on the march to Sulp pcs, In the fields nnd In the ditches. Iny dead soldiers, most of them with hideous-looking open wounds. Thou sands of huge files swnrmed on the corpses, partly decomposed, nnd giv ing off n fearful stench. Among these corpses, unsheltered under a blitzing sun, were enenmped wretched fugi tives, because they were forbidden tho use of the ronds while the armies need ed them, which wns practically nil the time. In the evening, after a long mnrch. we renr hod the town of Sulppcs. Hero our cnptaln told us wo would find nu merous frnnk-tlrcurs. We were or dered to blvounc, Instend of being as signed quarters, and all going Into the village were obliged to take guns nnd cartridges with them. After u brief rest we entered the village In senrch of food. Head civilians lay In tho middle of the street. They were citizens of the vlllnge. We could not learn the reason for their having been shot. The only answer to our questions was a shrug of tho shoulder. The village Itself bed not suffered to any nntlceabto degrco as far as destruction of buildings wns concerned, but never In the course of tho wnr had I seen a more complete Job of plunder ing than had been done In Sulppes. That we had to live and eat Is true, nnd as the Inhabitants and merchants had flown there was no opportunity to pay for our necessities. Therefore we simply entered a store, put on stock lugs, laundry, nnd left the old things, then went to another place, took what ever food looked good to us, and then proceeded to a wlno cellar, thero to sclzo ns much ns our hearts desired. The men or the ammunition column, located In tho village as well as the sanitary soldiers and cavalry by the hundreds, searched the house nnd look whatever they liked best. The finest an I largest business places In Sulppes served n very large rural district sur rounding nnd therefore were stocked up on almost everything. Within a short time these places bad been cleaned out. The munition drivers and train columns carried away old pieces of silk, ladles' dresses, linens, shoes, dress goods and every other ar ticle Imaginable, and stored them away In their ammunition case. They took children's nnd women's shoes, and everything else they could lay their hands upon, nlthough many of these articles hud to be thrown away short ly uflerwurd. Later, when the Held Dost wus developed nnd gave regular service, many of these things were sent home. A Inrge chocolate factory was robbed completely, and chocolate ntld candy In heaps were trampled In the ground. Kinply houses were broken Into and wrecked, wine cellnrs cleaned out and windows smashed, the latter being n special pastime of tho cavalrymen. As we had to pass tho night In the open, wo tried 'to find hoiiiu quilts and en tered u grocery storo and n market (dace. The store was partly demol ished, but tho apartment upstnlra was as yet Intact with all the rooms locked. It wus evident that a woman's hand had worked In this house, for every thing wus neat nnd cozy. Hut all (his order was still surpayseil by tho ar rangement In n largo room, which ap parently had been Inhabited by a young woman. Wo were almost nshaiiied to enter tho sanctuary. To our astonishment wo saw hanging on tho wiiU opposite tho door n picture burned In wood und under It n German verse: "Honor tho women, they weave a braid of heavenly roses In their earthly life." (Schiller). Tho owner apparently wns a young bride, for In tho wurdrobo wns it trousseau, tied with neat bluo ribbons, carefully put awny. .AJJ jho wardrobe drawers .lay ofien, TJullflfiS "won TouCIicfl 1lcT5T When we visited the samn place tho next morning, Impelled by hoiiiu Im pulse, we round everything In Hint house destroyed, llurbarlans had gunn through this home, and with bllter ruthlesHiiess had devastated every thing, with every evidence of having utterly cast ofT the ethics mid stand ards of civilized races. The entire trousseau hnd been torn from the drawers and thrown partly on thn lloor. Pictures, photograph, mirrors, e cry thing was In piece. Tho three of us who had entered the room clenched our fist with Impotent wrath. Wo received orders to remain. In Sulppes until further notice and 'the next day witnessed the return of many fugitives. They came In great throngs from the direction or Chalous-sur-Mn me. They round Instead or the peaceful homes they had left a wretch ed and deserted ruin, A furnltnr dealer returned to his store, as wo stood In front of his house, lie broke down when he viewed the remains of hs enterprise, everything had been taken away. Wo approached the man. He was a Jew ami spoke German. When ho calmed down a little ho told us that his store hud contained mer chandise worth more than 8.(sHl franc. "Had tho soldiers only taken what they needed for themselves," lui said, "I would bo satisfied, for I did not ex pect anything else. Hut I never would hnve believed or the Germans that they would have destroyed everything," Not even n cup nnd saucer wern left In this ninn's bouse. He bad n wire nnd live children, but had no Idea or what had become or them. And there were many more like him. Tho following night, remaining In Sulppes, we were ngnlu obliged to camp In the open "because It swarmed with frnnk-tlrcurs." Such wero our tnstrue- -o - V -TN Devastated Everything. Hon. In reality nothing was seen of frnuk-tlreiirs, but by this method the enmity toward tho people living In tho town along our line of march was maintained. The Germans practiced the theory thnt the soldiers fight bet ter nnd nro more amenable to dis cipline when filled with hatred of their enemies. The next day we were obliged to mnrch to Chnlnns-sur-Marne. This was one of the hardest days we ever hnd. From the very beginning, ns we begnn our Journey, tho sun blazed down upon us. It Is about 113 kilome ters from Sulppes to Chiilnns-sur-Manic. This dlstnnco would not hnve been so bad, despite the heat ; we hnd already made longer marches; but the beautiful rnnd from Sulppes to Clint ons goes with unending monotony with out so much ns a curve or a bend to the right or U-ft. A rnr as we could see It stretched before u like a long white snake. Many soldiers fainted or wero strick en with sunstroke. They were picked up by the Infirmary columns which fol lowed. That the troops who had trav ersed this road before us had fared worse wa evident from the many dead Germans who Iny along tho road. The commander feared that he could not get the machine In motion again If It was halted, and permitted to stretch Its weary limbs on the ground for a brief rest And so It crept along Ilka .- snail. Only, Instead of having -a nail's shell on Its back, there was a leudeu burden. The monotony of the march wa broken when we reached rlio enor mous camp nt Chalons. This Is one of tho largest or the French army camps. We snw Chalons from tho dis tance. A wo halted about nn hour later outside tho city In nn orchard, without a single exception every man fell to tho ground exhausted. The Held kitchens wero soon brought up, hut tho men were too tired to eat. Wo did eat later and then wanted to go to town to purchase hoiiiu article, particularly tobacco, which wu missed most. No body was allowed to leave camp. Wo were told that entering the city wiih strictly forbidden. Chalons bad paid a war contribution und thcrefoio no one was permitted In the city. Wo heard tho dull sound of tho cannon In the distance and suspected that our rest would be brief, Tho rolling of gunllro corii!iui"d to grow stronger. We did not know then that a light had begun which was destined to become ratal to tho German. Tho (Irst (lay's buttle or thu Murnu 'hnd begun I (To I)o Continued,) Something to aoltT Advertise in lino dullitln'a cdasolflod column. - LABOR BOARD BEING FORMED FEDERAL REPRESENT ATIVES ARE IN CITY. llointl .Made l'i of Tin co Men Will Hnvn .liiiisilfctlou (her i'liiee Counties with Head- (punters Hen-, (From Frldny's Dally.) For thu purpnso of organizing n local community labor board, which will have Jurisdiction over tint cuuiitloH (if Deschutes, Crook uiuf Jefferson, under thn supervision of thu federal government, K. A Douty and O. It. Ilartwlg' are In tho city today, iirrlvlug nn this uiiirnltiK'H train from Portland. Tho goutlotinm urn tho ruproaoutntlvns (rum thn gov eruui'iut labor board for Oregon. Tho hoard which will bo organized hero will consist of three netlvo ineui bors and two nltorniites. One rnpre soututlvo will he cuniou from iitiiont: tho operator and uun from tho em ployes, with an alteruatii on either side, while it chairman for tho bonrd will bo chosen from soma neutral body, ptisiilbly a business man of tin city. Tho purpose of this board will bo to make a detailed statement of labor conditions within It Jurisdiction, All mini employed In essential und non essential Industries are to ho listed, together with thn work which they nro pursuing. The data compiled will ho used by tho government of ficials In determining the amount of labor nvtillublo In llouil In both classes of Industry. Mr Hurlwig, In hi explanation of tho working of the bonrd, this morn ing stated that It would uct as medi ator hi tho ciuo of disagreement be tween tho employer and tho em ployes and also hnve Jurisdiction In etiforcliiK tho rules of the work or fight order. Ho stated thut at tint present 1 1 m i) thorn I an oxIntltiK shortage of labor III tho United State In essential Industrie of near ly one million men. L'uder the sys tem being worked out by tho govern ment now' these local hoard will,!)! prepared to fill tho needs of tho op erators within their Jurisdictions by taking man from tho nou-essetitlnl Industries and placing them wher thoy will ho bettor prepared to servo tho government In tho prosecution of thn war. While thn text of tho order for tho work or light measure to apply under thu new draft have not yet been pnssed upon. It Is presumed that In substance those order will corre spond with thoso In vnguo for tho registrant of 1 U 17 and 1'JlK. whero men working In uon-t'ssentlnl Indus tries aro required to either enter Into essential labor or sacrifice deferred classification. In that event tho local board hero would huvu tho Jurisdiction over theso iiieu. MEN iMOMLIZE FOR CAMP LEWIS (From Tuesday Dally.) 'eighteen men, u list of which wait published In Tho llulletlu several day ago, worn mobilized by tho loci I wnr board this morning und wilt leave tomorrow morning for ('amp LowIh. Thl Is thu fulfillment of tho llntl draft cull for September from Deschutes county, ntul tho list In clude practically nil or thu men In class I In tho 101? and 1018 regis trations. YOU KNOW OF A Vuiior A Dptture A U.ah- A Deilli An Accident An lllneti OR Any New Building Sex iil Funttioni MeclioK A Real Elte Tuniaclion Any Impiovcinenli OR- Anything lint ii of Intcrrtt ITS NliWSl I'liono it to The Bulletin Ji. 'Jiajousrsr'