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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1918)
1 . THE DAILY NEBRASKAN -rciFS INTRIGUE AND LIES BY GERMANS (Continued from page J) ,Dd It " eature;1 ln th 0erman newsPT""8- Our war department n" made a official Investigation of the charge. Testimony has been obtained from tblrty-flgbt fflcer" wno were ln com" m.nd of our troops In the action of July 15- N Germn prlsoner8 were killed by American soldiers there, nor were any mistreated. "On tire con trary," the war department finds, the prisoners were well treated, the wounded cared for and carefully trans ported to the rear, and the prisoners given food, drink and cigarettes. In at least one case a wounded prison er was carried, while one or tne wounded officers walked." It Is obviously wise policy on the part of our military authorities to 'en courape the German soldiers to sur render. To that end, -the allies have been scrupulously kind In their treat- men of German prisoners and they have carried word of this kindness. In to the German lines In every possible way. It Is equally ovblous that the German military authorities wish to make their men fight to the death. And It If for this purpose that such gtories as the above are invented by German gents and circulated ln Ger many. ;ff?; Agents Invent Stories Moreover it has become Increasing ly evident of late that It Is not mere ly stories of American atrocities that are being Invented by German agents. They are inventing also stories of German atrocities and circulating tbem in this couptry. Such stories are frequently suspicious in their origin and easily, disproved. WDen they are discredited, they have the effect of discrediting also the record of German atrocities In Belgium. When they are not discredited, they act as a sort counter "frightful ness." They worry the relatives of soldiers and Red Cross nurses who are exposed to the alleged brutalities. They also lead to a popular demand for reprisals gainst the German troops. And with the German morp.le breaking down, it Is not fanciful to assume that the German military authorities would welcome reprisals, and encourage the demand for them by means of these fake atrocity Btor les, ln order to make It difficult for the German soldier to surrender ln the coming battles as he has been surren dering recently. This appears to be the explanation of various forged Btorles of German atrocities that are appearing in Ameri can newspapers. A paper in Auburn, Nebraska, published such a story un der the heading, "Tongue Cut Out by On 11th at P Street SARATOGA RECREATION FLOORS CHAS. N. MOON Follow the Crowd HEADQUARTERS FOR MILITARY TOGS Hats, Khaki and Inf. Cords, etc. Omaha Hat Factory 1234 "Oh" Street Huns; American doctor sends message to family written under stamp on en velope." An Investigation discovered that the doctor's family bad not re ceived any message of the sort. The story had been started by an anony mous telephone' message that pretend ed to come from the family but really came from some unidentified liar who was furthering the German campaign. A similar story In a California pa per declared that a similar message had been received by the sweetheart of an American soldier who was dy ing ln a German hospital. He had sent her his watch as a souvenir from his death bed. Concealed In the watch was a message to say that hla tongue had been cut out and that she would never see him again. The story prov ed on Investigation to be a fake. Forged Letters Circulated What appears to be a forged letter from an American Boldier's mother. Is circulating ln Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado newspapers. It alleges that he has been returned to her without ears, n6se, or arms, that he saw two Red Cross nurses similarly mu'llatel by the Germans, and that the Germans "cut prisoners' eyes out and th-n stand and laugh at them." A Trenton, N. J., newspaper recent ly published a -news Item from th-1 Philadelphia Enquirer to th effect that there were In Holyoke, Mars., "twenty-three little Belgian girls, ranging In age from six to ten years." all of whom had "either one or bo:h bands amputated at the wrist, the work, not of German soldiers, but of German officers." Inquiry at Holyoke found no multllated Belgian girls there. There have been no Belgian girls brought to Holyoke, either mutil ated or otherwise. This sort of story has the added advantage, from the German point of view, that by dis proving It one casts a doubt on all the proved and well-authenticated cases of German atrocities committed on Belgian girls during the early days of the war. As a result of the campaign to de ceive and Inflame and confuse the American people with fake atrocity stories, the military branch of our war department has sent the following let ter to newspapers that have been im posed upon: "Atrocity stories are dally bandied around army camps abroad, they gain credence through circulation; and fre quently they are communicated to this country in news dispatches, or sol diers' letters, as facL Many of these stories are extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible to trace to the source of origin. Consequently, we are asking editors to refrain publish ing atrocity stories, whether charged against the enemy or against our al lies, until facts embraced In them shall have been substantiated and officially made public by our government, or the government of one of our allies. "This Is not inEpired by a desire to suppress criticism of Hun cruelty. That he has been guilty of atrocities has been clearly proven. The request is designed to prevent vitiation of the unimpeachable case which has been established against him by the Brit ish Bryce report and the findings of other official agencies which have in Investigated instances of his cruelty. Publication of charges of atrocities that are not susceptible of proof would enable bim to make a propa ganda attack upon the proven cases. Soldiers Inspired to Reprisals "Furthermore, these atrocity stories Inspire our soldiers to commit acts of reprisal which enable the enemy to launch a counter cruelty propa ganda. Publication of atrocities charged against our allies affords him a similar opportunity. "General Pershing cognizant of the effect' of publicity given to unsub stantiated charges of atrocities, took occasion last July to cabte a public message to the war department deny ing statements relative to the atroci ties charged againBt the German army, wmca wcic ub speeches delivered by a sergeant who had been returned from the expdi tionary fores to participate In the Lib erty Loan campaign. "Our request is directed pari"u larly against atrocity statements em braced In soldiers' letters, and we No matter what you tay "SAY IT WITH FLOWERS" PHADIM Tnrse in i 11 B 2234 will appreciate It If you will co-oper' ate with us by observing It." In this connection, It Is well to note that there baa been an error mado ln the crucifixion by Germans of an Am erican soldier named Sergeant A. B. ! Cole, of East Liverpool, Ohio. A circumstantial account of the atro city has been printed by the Paiva-', tlon Army as related by Dr. P. H. I Howardr a member of the LouN ' chamber of commerce, who visited France to gather first hand Inform- j tlon about the war. Dr. Howard was ' quoted as giving the story on the au thority of Private A. C. Cole, a broth-; er of the victim, who found the cru-j clficd soldier pinned wltn nayonets to a door. i i To an Inquiry from the war depart-! ment, Dr. Howard has replied that he has Private A. C. Cole's signed state ment of how he "found his brother crucified by Uhlans, battle of Ypres, July 21. 1915." But If the atrocity was committed In July, 1915. Sergeant Cole was not a member of the Amcrl can Expeditionary Forces but wp-e en listed probably in the Canslian army. rortliuda, able Id fmht any of life's the boys in a prayr for the mccess greater battles. of our troops at the front. Mr. W. A. Mr. E. R. Uinkley. In chnrge of the Luke, general secietary of the army religious work of the local "Y." led ! Y. M. C. A., then Introduced Mr. ORPHEUM DRUG STORE OPEN TILL MIDNIGHT A Good Place for Soda Fountain Refreshments after the Theatre and after the RosewMde Dance CARSON HILDRETH, "95 and 96 HUSKERS ATTEND CHURCH SERVICE (Continued from page 1) in the face of dangers and temptations, but should come out with an unblem ished character and a strong moral Military Clothes Headquarters for Officers, S. A. T. C. & S. N. T. C. Men r f YOU'VE been called to be "with the colors," and fav ored with' special training to qualify and develop "higher efficiency" for Uncle Sam's "Premie: Army." Now that Labor and Capital, Soldier and Civilian are united in one cause, with but one object in view the winning of the war. We as patriotic merchants are doing our bit by rendering a real economy clothes service to the boys in khaki. Individuals have learned that "personal appearance" is an important factor in winning business battles The officer who has received a commission is the fellow with ambition and "fight" who succeeded by paying careful attention to his clothes. YOU will receive a "Military Book" in a few days that we hope will interest you. In the meantime remember we are Military Clothes Headquarters for officers and men. Our stock includes O. D. serge and khaki uniforms, trousers and shirts, regulation Munsing last shoes, boots, puttees and leggings, army caps, hats, cords, insigma. Everything. Come in and get acquainted. You're always welcome here. MAYER BR OS. -CO. ELI SHIRE, Pres. IV