Perhaps I can best set forth the German attitude in this regard by quoting a general whom we interviewed on the subject: "We do not destroy for the pleasure it gives us.

We destroy only when it is necessary.

The French rural populace are more rational, more tractable and much less turbulent than the Belgians.

To a much greater degree than the Belgians they have refrained from acts against our men that would call for severe retaliatory measures on our part.
Consequently we have spared the houses and respected the property of the French noncombatants." Personally I had a theory of my own.

So far as our observations went, the people living immediately on both sides of the line were an interrelated people, using the same speech and being much alike in temperament, manners and mode of conduct.