only reply was, "He will be a man the less against us in the next
war."[15] They will deny these crimes to-morrow, but in 1914 they
gloried in them.

On the 18th of October a Silesian newspaper published an article sent
from the front by a N.C.O., in which he says, "Men who are particularly
tender-hearted give the French wounded the 'coup de grace' with a
bullet, but the others cut and thrust as much as possible. Our enemies
fought bravely ... whether they are slightly or badly wounded our brave
Fusiliers spare the Fatherland as far as possible the expensive trouble
of looking after numerous enemies. In the evening, with prayers of
thanksgiving on our lips, we go to sleep." Are these mere boastings of
crimes? No. The article was submitted to the Captain of the Company who
certified it as correct and counter-signed it. The N.C.O., the Captain,
the Silesian public, the whole German nation were delighted to see this
abominable story of murder and shame appear in the paper under the
heading, "A Day of Honour for our Regiment."[16]



FOOTNOTES:

[13] Report of the French Commission, vol. iii.

[14] He adds that certain orderlies--Lorrainers, belonging to the German
Army--supplied them with food on the sly.

[15] French chivalry could hardly believe that a doctor would amputate a
wounded enemy's limb without absolute necessity and in mere revenge, but
such cases are, alas, not rare. See the awful tales of torture in the