Cardinal Mercier, Primate of Belgium, in behalf of the Belgian bishops,
issued a proclamation of protest on November 7, addressed to the neutral
nations and appealing for their aid in opposing the proceeding. His
protest is in these terms:
"The military authorities are daily deporting thousands of inoffensive
citizens in order to set them to forced labor.
"As early as October 19 we sent a protest to the governor-general, a
copy of which was also sent to the representatives of the Holy See in
Brussels, Spain, the United States, and the Netherlands. The
governor-general, in reply, refused to take any steps."
[Illustration]
_ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF KULTUR_
_Fritz: "We must see if there is any money or jewelry in these coffins
before we retire."_
* * * * *
At Cartigny the Germans opened five vaults, each with a chapel above it,
by tearing apart the stones. They did the same thing at Ronsoy, at
Becquincourt, at Dompierre, at Bouvincourt, and at Herbecourt. At Nurly,
Roisel, Bernes, they even broke into coffins. In the enclosed ground
serving as a private cemetery for the Rohan family at Manancourt they
buried a great number of their soldiers, and, an inconceivable thing,
established a kitchen in the interior of the Rohan mausoleums and
latrines among their family tombs. In the crypt, where indescribable
disorder reigns, almost all the compartments are empty. A child's
coffin, taken from one of them, was stripped of its lead. A heavy leaden
casket, half drawn from another compartment, bears on its lid marks of a
chisel. A block of marble, in which is seen a small excavation, has been
thrown among the debris; it bears the inscription: "Here rests the heart
of Mme. Amelie de Musnier de Folleville, Countess of Boissy, who died at
Paris, July 16, 1830, at the age of thirty-two years and ten months."
_French Official Report of German
Barbarities in France, June 1, 1916._
[Illustration]
_CANADA ON VIMY RIDGE_
* * * * *
The capture of two thousand prisoners by the Canadians is not
surprising, as the whole ridge was honeycombed with dugouts, in which
the Germans sheltered themselves.
Up to the present moment the great offensive had been held up just at
the point below the Canadian lines, which fact caused Vimy Ridge to be
styled the "hinge" of the enemy's retreat from the Somme, and the
Canadians have been very impatient for the "hinge" to move.
_Toronto Mail, August 10, 1916._
[Illustration]
_William_: _I wonder how long my dear friend and Ally will be able to
stand this._
* * * * *
The offensive began on June 4, and the total captures to August 12 were
as follows:
Prisoners
Officers 7,757
Men 350,845
Guns 405
Machine-guns 1,326
Bomb-throwers 338
Caissons 292
_Russian Official, August 12, 1916._
[Illustration]
_William: "Here's luck, Hindenburg."_
_Hindenburg: "Where?"_
* * * * *
The kaiser has dismissed General von Falkenhayn, chief of the general
staff, and has appointed Field-Marshal von Hindenburg chief of the
general staff and General von Ludendorff first quartermaster-general.
_Berlin Official Telegram, August 30, 1916._
[Illustration]
_The Old Frenchman: "Our guns come nearer."_
* * * * *
12:30 A.M. In cooperation with the French on our immediate right we
attacked the enemy at several points.
We have captured part of Ginchy and the whole of Guillemont. Our front
now runs some five hundred yards east of Guillemont from Ginchy to near
Falfemont Farm.
On the east side of Mouquet Farm we have also gained ground.
We have captured several hundred prisoners.
Between our right and the Somme the French have made substantial
progress and captured a considerable number of prisoners.
Fighting continues.
Our aircraft did most useful work in cooperating with the artillery and
infantry.
The enemy's aeroplanes, which made desperate attempts to interfere, were
successfully engaged in many aerial fights and driven off with a loss of
three machines destroyed and at least four others damaged, while we lost
three.
12:10 P.M. Last night was generally quiet.
Fighting is in progress this morning near Mouquet Farm, south of
Thiepval, and on the banks of the Ancre; also on our right about
Falfemont Farm. We have gained ground.
Last night we carried out a successful raid on the enemy's trenches
north of Monchy, capturing prisoners.
_British Official, September 5, 1916._
[Illustration]
_TANKS_
* * * * *
At 6:20 A.M. on September 15, 1916, the infantry assault commenced, and
at the same moment the bombardment became intense. Our new heavily
armored cars, known as "tanks," now brought into action for the first
time, successfully cooperated with the infantry, and, coming as a
surprise to the enemy rank and file, gave valuable help in breaking down
their resistance.
The advance met with immediate success on almost the whole of the front
attacked. At 8:40 A.M. "tanks" were seen to be entering Flers, followed
by large numbers of troops. Fighting continued in Flers for some time,
but by 10 A.M. our troops had reached the north side of the village, and
by midday had occupied the enemy's trenches for some distance beyond.
_British Official, September 15, 1916._
[Illustration]
_THE SLAYING OF THE FIERY DRAGONS_
_Two airships fell victims to the enemy's defensive of London._
_German Official._
* * * * *
Twelve German airships took part in a raid on London and various Eastern
and East Midland counties on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning,
but on their return journey the raiders numbered only 10.
The other two had been left behind in Essex. One was brought down in
flames not far from London, and its crew were all killed; the second
came to earth near the coast, and its crew of twenty-two surrendered.
Both the lost airships are big vessels of a new pattern.
_British Official, September 24, 1916._
[Illustration]
_King Tino at Athens to his brother-in-law William at Potsdam: "Please
return me my runaway Army Corps. I want it to shoot my constitutional
subjects."_
* * * * *
The Hellenic Government entirely disavows the action of Colonel
Hazzopoulos, commander at Kavala.
The Greek Government demands from Germany that these troops shall be
brought to the Swiss frontier, that they may be conducted to a
Mediterranean port, and there be embarked on ships to be sent by the
Greek Government, so as to bring them back to Greece.
The Greek Government guarantees that they will not be stopped, or made
to serve any enemy of Germany.
_Note from the Hellenic Government
to Germany, September 26, 1916._
[Illustration]
_Mr. Lloyd George to Neutrals: "Don't stand in our way to victory."_
* * * * *
The whole world, including neutrals of the highest purposes and
humanitarians with the best motives, must know that there can be no
outside interference at this stage. Britain asked no intervention when
she was not prepared to fight. She will tolerate none now that she is
prepared until Prussian military despotism is broken beyond repair.