by Richard van Pelt, WWI Correspondent
England.- German submarine torpedoed and sank British steamed Durwald off British coast. Crew rescued. Believed indicates Germany inaugurating systematic attack on British merchantmen advocated by Vice Admiral Von Tirpitz.
France – Germans bombarded Saint Die, historic city. Feared ancient buildings be damaged. No fatalities reported. Paris admits Germans checked French advancing against Metz, Germans themselves advancing. French gained slightly at Lombertzyde and Berry-an-bac- .
Belgium – Germans bombarded Nieuport. British repulsed three German night attacks near Visny. Cannonading between Oise and Yser.
Turkey – Constantinople asseerts Russian offensive in Caucasus “brought to a stand- – still,” denies Turks routed.
Austria – Petrograd declares Austrian commander at Pola committed suicide when learned his forts shelled the Austrian battleship Rabecky in error.
Germany – Germans everywhere accept that Zeppelins, not aeroplanes, bombarded Norfolk, England, Tuesday night. Declare new type airships participated.
Alsace – Hand to hand fighting reported near Hartmaunsweiler, northwest of Muelhanson.
The headline read “Historic City of St. Die Object of Bombardment,” “Six shells are dropped in heart of city by German gunners”
Paris June 22. Bombardment of the historic city of St. Die by the Germans was announced in the official statement issued this afternoon by the French war office. Six shells fell in the heart of the city, one striking near the famous cathedral built in the 11th century.
It is stated unofficially that a school which dates back to the eighth century was slightly damaged.
The war office announcement does not mention any fatalities, but declares the inhabitants fled in a wild panic when the German shells began to fall. Great indignation is expressed here over the shelling of the picturesque city.
In the Oregon Statesman, the insanity of war comes out in an editorial excoriating Austria for her praise of the person the paper sees as the architect of the war:
Diplomatic Insanity
Are European statesman and editors all going insane? The question is inspired by the latest chapter in the career of Count von Berchtold, the Austrian secretary of state.
It was Count von Berchtold who framed the ultimatum to Servia that precipitated the great war. It was he who, if not the leader in shaping Austria’s ruthless policy of aggression against Servia, was at least the spokesman for the saber-rattling militarists and diplomatic strong-arm men who for years have surrounded Emperor Franz Josef. Of him it might be said, in a more direct sense than of any other man, that he started the war – a war which has already laid his country prostrate, subject to inevitable ruin, and has surrounded its ally Germany with a ring of relentless foes.
Now Count von Berchtold resigns – an eminently proper thing for him to do – and what ensues? The aged emperor whom he and his “Yunker” associates have betrayed to the almost certain losing of his crown, expresses in an autograph letter, “my warmest thanks, my full recognition of the distinguished services you have rendered to my house and to the monarchy in times of peace as well as during this great war.” Whereupon the emperor, in his fervent gratitude, decorates the statesman with the Grand Cross of St. Stephen.
Then come the newspapers of Germany, with the Berlin Lokal-Anzeiger as a typical spokesman, saying, “Not until after the war shall we be able to appreciate the value and merit of all that Count von Berchold has accomplished in these fateful years.”
Germany as well as Austria betrayed into a criminal war for which Austria was criminally unprepared, and Germany already bearing the brunt of a war against Europe and Asia, and yet sweet words for the betrayers!
Leave A Comment