Four Minute Men
While we are sitting here tonight
enjoying a picture show, do you realize that thousands and thousands of
Belgians, people just like ourselves, are languishing in slavery under
Prussian masters?
Driven into slavery, after they were
lured back home by Prussian promises—Prussian scraps of paper.
Read the stories of deliberate governmentally
ordered brutalities as told in the book, German War Practices,
recently published by the Government’s Committee on Public Information.
Read how the Prussian war lords robbed
Belgium, pilfered and stole. How they extorted fines of millions of francs for
trivial reasons: in Brussels because of an attack by a policeman; at Tournai for refusal to send a list of citizens. Taxes went
to 50,000 francs a month and more in Belgium.
Prussian “Schrecklichkeit” (the
deliberate policy of terrorism) leads to almost unbelievable besotten
brutality. The German soldiers—their letters are reprinted—were often forced
against their wills, they themselves weeping, to carry out unspeakable orders
against defenseless old men, women, and children, so that “respect”
might grow for German “efficiency.” For instance, at Dinant the wives and
children of 40 men were forced to witness the execution of their husbands and
fathers.
Now, then, do you want to take the slightest
chance of meeting Prussianism here in America?
If not, then you’ll have to help in
summoning all the resources of this country for the giant struggle. For
resources will win the war.