(i.) That there were in many parts of Belgium deliberate and
systematically organized massacres of the civil population, accompanied
by many isolated murders and other outrages.
(ii.) That in the conduct of the war generally innocent civilians, both
men and women, were murdered in large numbers, women violated, and
children murdered.
(iii.) That looting, house burning, and the wanton destruction of
property were ordered and countenanced by the officers of the German
Army, that elaborate provision had been made for systematic incendiarism
at the very outbreak of the war, and that the burnings and destruction
were frequent where no military necessity could be alleged, being indeed
part of a system of general terrorization.
(iv.) That the rules and usages of war were frequently broken,
particularly by the using of civilians, including women and children, as
a shield for advancing forces exposed to fire, to a less degree by
killing the wounded and prisoners, and in the frequent abuse of the Red
Cross and the white flag.
_British Government Committee's Report._
[Illustration]
_A CONFLICT OF TESTIMONY_
"_Sire, it's quite easy; for every witness who swears we've murdered
innocent people we will produce two who will swear they did not see it_"
All that I care to say about the Belgian charges is that I have
officially informed the State Department in Washington that there is not
one word of truth in the statements made to the President yesterday by
the Belgian Commission.
COUNT VON BERNSTORFF,
_German Ambassador,
at Washington, September 17._
[Illustration]
_THE MOTHERS OF BELGIUM_
Christian mothers, be proud of your sons. Of all griefs, of all our
human sorrows, yours is perhaps the most worthy of veneration. I think I
behold you in your affliction. Suffer us to offer you not only our
condolence, but our congratulation. Not all our heroes obtain temporal
honors, but for all we expect the immortal crown of the elect. For this
is the virtue of a single act of perfect charity--it cancels a whole
lifetime of sins. It transforms a sinful man into a saint.
CARDINAL MERCIER,
_Archbishop of Malines_.
[Illustration]
_KREUZLAND, KREUZLAND UeBER ALLES_
_"Where are our fathers?" Belgium, 1914_
[Illustration]
_THE WIDOWS OF BELGIUM_
[Illustration]
_FAMINE IN BELGIUM_
In Belgium I saw this:
Homeless men, women, and children by thousands and hundreds of
thousands. Many of them had been prosperous, a few had been wealthy,
practically all had been comfortable. Now, with scarcely an exception,
they stood all upon one common plane of misery. They had lost their
homes, their farms, their workshops, their livings, and their means of
making livings.
I saw them tramping aimlessly along windswept, rain-washed roads,
fleeing from burning and devastated villages. I saw them sleeping in
open fields upon the miry earth, with no cover and no shelter. I saw
them herded together in the towns and cities to which many of them
ultimately fled, existing God alone knows how. I saw them--ragged,
furtive scarecrows--prowling in the shattered ruins of their homes,
seeking salvage where there was no salvage to be found. I saw them
living like the beasts of the field, upon such things as the beasts of
the field would reject.
IRVIN S. COBB.
_New York Times._
_December 2, 1914._
[Illustration]
_BLUEBEARD'S CHAMBER_
Our function is ended when we have stated what the evidence establishes,
but we may be permitted to express our belief that these disclosures
will not have been made in vain if they touch and rouse the conscience
of mankind, and we venture to hope that as soon as the present war is
over the nations of the world in council will consider what means can be
provided and sanctions devised to prevent the recurrence of such horrors
as our generation is now witnessing.
BRYCE,
F. POLLOCK,
EDWARD CLARKE,
KENELM E. DIGBY,
ALFRED HOPKINSON,
H. A. L. FISHER,
HAROLD COX,
_Concluding words of the Report of the Committee
appointed by the British Government
to investigate alleged German atrocities
in Belgium._
[Illustration]
_THE PRISONERS_
In the first days of the war it was undoubtedly and unfortunately true
that prisoners of war taken by the Germans, both at the time of their
capture and in transit to the prison camps, were often badly treated by
the soldiers, guards or the civil population.
The instances were too numerous, the evidence too overwhelming, to be
denied.... From him (U.S. Consul at Kiel) I learned that some
unfortunate prisoners passing through the town (in a part of Germany
inhabited by Scandinavians) had made signs that they were suffering
from hunger and thirst, that some of the kind-hearted people among the
Scandinavian population had given them something to eat and drink and
for this they were condemned to fines, to prison and to have their names
held up to the contempt of Germans for all time.
I do not know of any one thing that can give a better idea of the
official hate for the nations with which Germany was at war than this.
JAMES W. GERARD
_in "My Four Years in Germany."_
[Illustration]
_THE EX-CONVICT:_
"_I was a 'lifer'; but they found I had so many abilities for teaching
civilisation amongst our neighbours, that I am now a soldier_"
Crimes against women and young girls have been of appalling frequency.
We have proved a great number of them, but they only represent an
infinitesimal proportion of those which we could have taken up. Owing to
a sense of decency, which is deserving of every respect, the victims of
these hateful acts usually refuse to disclose them. Doubtless fewer
would have been committed if the leaders of an army whose discipline
is most rigorous had taken any trouble to prevent them; yet, strictly
speaking, they can only be considered as the individual and spontaneous
acts of uncaged beasts.
_French Government's Official Report,
September, 1914._
[Illustration]
_WAR LOAN MUSIC_
"_Was blazen die Trompeten Moneten heraus?_"
Early in September, 1914, the Government made the first War Loan issue.
It took the form of L50,000,000 of 5 per cent. Treasury Bonds with a
five years' currency, and a 5 per cent. Loan of undefined amount,
irredeemable until 1924. The price of both the Treasury Bills and the
Loan was 97-1/2. During the ten days in which the lists remained open, a
tremendous propaganda was carried on in the Press--this quotation is
typical:
"The victories which our glorious Army has already won in the west and
east justify the hopes that now, as in 1870, the expenses and burdens of
the war will fall ultimately upon those who have disturbed the peace of
the German Empire. But first we must help ourselves. Great interests are
at stake.
"German capitalists, show that you are inspired by the same spirit as
our heroes, who shed their hearts' blood in the fight. Germans who have
saved money, show that you have saved, not only for yourselves, but also
for the Fatherland. German corporations, companies, savings banks, and
all institutions which have blossomed and grown up under the powerful
protection of the Empire, repay the Empire with your gratitude in this
hour of fate. German banks and bankers, show what your brilliant
organization and your influence on your customers are able to produce."
_Times History of the War._
[Illustration]
_LIBERTE! LIBERTE CHERIE!_
Soldiers,--Upon the memorable fields of Montmirail, of Vauchamps, of
Champaubert, which a century ago witnessed the victories of our
ancestors over Bluecher's Prussians, your vigorous offensive has
triumphed over the resistance of the Germans. Held on his flanks, his
centre broken, the enemy is now retreating towards east and north by
forced marches. The most renowned army corps of Old Prussia, the
contingents of Westphalia, of Hanover, of Brandenburg, have retired
in haste before you.
This first success is no more than a prelude. The enemy is shaken, but
not yet decisively beaten.
You have still to undergo severe hardships, to make long marches, to
fight hard battles.
May the image of your country, soiled by barbarians, always remain
before your eyes. Never was it more necessary to sacrifice all for her.
Saluting the heroes who have fallen in the fighting of the last few
days, my thoughts turn towards you--the victors in the next battle.
Forward, soldiers, for France.
FRANCHET D'ESPEREY,
_General Commanding the Vth Army._
_Montmirail, September 9, 1914._
[Illustration]
_THE JUNKER_
"_What I have most admired in you, Bethmann, is that you have made
Socialists our best supporters_"
England is playing a perfectly shameful role in this war. Even though
France were allied to Russia by an unfortunate treaty, England was not
so allied! But England, who has ever been jealous of the industrial
development of our country, used the violation of our treaty of
neutrality with Belgium, which was incurred only in dire need and which
was yielded openly and honestly in the Reichstag by the Chancellor, as a
pretext to declare war against us.
PHILIPP SCHEIDEMANN,
_Socialist ex-Vice-President
of the Reichstag._
[Illustration]
_THE HIGHER POLITICS_
_The Kaiser: "We will propose peace terms; if they accept them, we are
the gainers; if they refuse them, the responsibility will rest with
them_"
Germany has suggested informally that the United States should undertake
to elicit from Great Britain, France, and Russia a statement of the
terms under which the Allies would make peace.
The suggestion was made by the Imperial Chancellor, von
Bethmann-Hollweg, to Ambassador Gerard at Berlin as a result of an
inquiry sent by the American Government to learn whether Emperor William
was desirous of discussing peace, as recently had been reported.
_The Associated Press._
_Washington, September 17, 1914._
[Illustration]
_LUTHER-LIEBKNECHT IN THE REICHSTAG_
"_It is a War of Rapine! On that I take my stand. I cannot do
otherwise_"
I understand that several members of the Socialist Party have written
all sorts of things to the press with regard to the deliberations of the
Socialist Party in the Reichstag on August 3 and 4.
According to these reports there were no serious differences of opinion
in our party in regard to the political situation, and our own position
and decision to assent to war credits are alleged to have been arrived
at unanimously.
In order to prevent the dissemination of an inadmissible legend I feel
it to be my duty to put on record the fact that the issues involved gave
rise to diametrically opposite views within our parliamentary party, and
these opposing views found expression with a violence hitherto unknown
in our deliberations.
It is also entirely untrue to say that assent to the war credits was
given unanimously.
DR. CARL LIEBKNECHT,
_Member of the Reichstag._
_September 18, 1914._
[Illustration]
_THE LAND MINE_
[Illustration]
_THE VERY STONES CRY OUT,_
"_Thou art the man_"
The German Government states officially in contradiction of the report
made by the Havas Agency that German artillery purposely destroyed
important buildings at Rheims, that, on the contrary, orders were given
to spare the Cathedral by all means.
COUNT VON BERNSTORFF.
_Washington, September, 1914._
On Sept. 19 the cathedral was fairly riddled by bombs during the entire
day, and at about 3:45 the scaffolding surrounding the north tower
caught fire. This fire lasted about one hour, and during that time two
further bombs struck the roof, setting it also on fire.
The monument, about which no troops were massed, towers above the rest
of the town; to avoid it, in view of the uselessness of destroying it
and because it was serving as a hospital, would have been an easy
matter.
It would seem that the only explanation which can be offered was blind
rage upon the part of the besieging army.
MR. WHITNEY WARREN'S
_Official Report to the French Government._
_September, 1914._
[Illustration]
_THE BRAGGART_
"_It was I who opened fire on Rheims Cathedral_"
My dear Sir, how is it possible to fight these people? They seem to have
no mercy, no decency. It really seems impossible to know how to meet
them.
GENERAL CASTELNAU TO
MR. WHITNEY WARREN.
The bells sound no more in the cathedral with two towers. Finished is
the benediction!... With lead, O Rheims, we have shut your house of
idolatry!
M. RUDOLF HERZOG
_in Berlin Lokal-Anzeiger. Jan., 1915._
[Illustration]
_RHEIMS--WAR AND CHRIST_
The commonest, ugliest stone put to mark the burial-place of a German
grenadier is a more glorious and venerable monument than all the
cathedrals of Europe put together.
GEN. VON DISFURTH
_In Hamburger Nachrichten._
Reduce to ashes the basilica of Rheims where Klodovig was anointed,
where that Empire of Franks was born--the false brothers of the noble
Teutons; burn that cathedral!
_Written in the year 1814 by_
JEAN-JOSEPH GOERRES
_in the "Rheinische Merkin."_
[Illustration]