"All the authorities and the municipality are informed that every
peaceful inhabitant can follow his regular occupation in full security.
Private property will be absolutely respected and provisions paid for.
"If the population dare under any form whatever to take part in
hostilities the severest punishment will be inflicted on the refractory.
"The people must give up their arms. Every armed individual will be put
to death. Whoever cuts telegraph wires, destroys railway bridges or
roads or commits any act in detriment to the Germans will be shot.
"Towns and villages whose inhabitants take part in the combat or who
fire upon us from ambush will be burned down and the guilty shot at
once. The civil authorities will be held responsible. (Signed) VON
MOLTKE."
MOTORS IN THE RUSSIAN ARMY
The Russian army has always placed much dependence on its horses, having
a vast number, but it has realized the importance of the motor vehicle
in warfare and already it is much better equipped than other nations
suppose. An illustration of the fact is the following, related by a Bed
Cross man who accompanied the Russian forces into eastern Germany:
"I was walking beside one of our carts. We could hear heavy artillery
fire as we went, when shouts from our people behind warned us to get
off the road. We pulled onto the grass as there came thundering past,
bumping from one rough place to another on the poor road and going at a
sickening pace, a string of huge motor cars crowded with infantrymen.
They looked like vehicles of the army establishment, all apparently
alike in size and pattern and each carrying about thirty men.
"They were traveling like no motor wagon that I ever saw--certainly at
not less than forty miles an hour. The procession seemed endless. I
didn't count them, but there were not less than a hundred, and perhaps a
good many more. That was General Rennenkampf reinforcing his threatened
flank."
JENNIE DUFAU'S NARROW ESCAPE
Jennie Dufau, the American opera singer, had one of the most thrilling
experiences told by a refugee from the war zone.
Miss Dufau was visiting in Saulxures, Province of Alsace, when the war
started, and was in the hitherto peaceful valley of that region until
August 24. She was with her sister, Elizabeth, and her two brothers,
Paul and Daniel.
On August 6 the German artillery occupied the heights on one side of the
valley, overlooking the town. On the 12th the Germans occupied the town
itself. At that time there were but two French regiments near Saulxures.
The French, however, opened fire on the Germans, and Miss Dufau with her
father and sister at once retreated to the cellar in an effort to escape
the flying shells.
"Then began a tremendous artillery duel that lasted for days," she said.
"All this time we were living in the cellar, where we were caring for
ten wounded French officers. I often went out over the battlefield when
the fire slackened and did what I could for the wounded and dying.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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