"It was frightful, heart-rending, as these masses of human beings were driven to destruction. Above the terrible thunder of the cannon could be heard the heart-rending cries of the Russians: 'O Prussians! O Prussians!'--but there was no mercy. Our Captain had ordered: 'The whole lot must die; so rapid fire.' As I have heard, five men and one officer on our side went mad from those heart-rending cries. But most of my comrades and the officers joked as the unarmed and helpless Russians shrieked for mercy while they were being suffocated in the swamps and shot down. The order was: 'Close up and at it harder!' For days afterwards those heart-rending yells followed me and I dare not think of them or I shall go mad. There is no God, there is no morality and no ethics any more. There are no human beings any more, but only beasts. Down with militarism. "This was the experience of a Prussian soldier. At present wounded; Berlin, October 22, 1914. "If you are a truth-loving man, please receive these lines from a common Prussian soldier." Here is the testimony of another German soldier on the Eastern front. "RUSSIAN POLAND, _December 18, '14_. "In the name of Christianity I send you these words. "My conscience forces me as a Christian German soldier to inform you of these lines. "Wounded Russians are killed with the bayonet according to orders. "And Russians who have surrendered are often shot down in masses according to orders, in spite of their heart-rending prayers. "In hope that you, as the representative of a Christian State will protest against this, I sign myself, "A GERMAN SOLDIER AND CHRISTIAN. "I would give my name and regiment, but these words could get me court-martialed for divulging military secrets." * * * * * The third letter, from the Western front, shows the same horror of the system of which the writer was a witness. "To the "AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, "_Washington, U.S.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 disarmed and shot down afterwards? 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 naïvely: 'We don't want any unnecessary mouths to feed. Where there is no one to enter complaint, there is no judge.' Is there then no power in the world which can put an end to these murders and rescue the victims? Where is Christianity? Where is right? Might is right. "A SOLDIER AND MAN WHO IS NO BARBARIAN." [Sidenote: Socialists oppose system.]