After such proclamations, who will be surprised at the murders,
burnings, pillage, and destruction committed by the German Army
wherever they have met with resistance?
If a German corps or patrolling party is received at the entrance to a
village by a volley from soldiers of the regular troops who are
afterward forced to retire the whole population is held responsible.
The civilians are accused of having fired or having co-operated in the
defense and, without inquiry, the place is given over to pillage and
flames, and a part of the inhabitants are massacred.
The Commission of Inquiry has already mentioned these facts in its
report of Sept. 10, (third report.)
The facts which have been gathered since then have confirmed its
conclusions.
The odious acts which have been committed in all parts of the country
have a general character, throwing the responsibility upon the whole
German Army. It is simply the application of a preconceived
system--the carrying out of instructions--which has made of the
enemy's troops in Belgium "a horde of barbarians and a band of
incendiaries."
The reports which the commission has had the honor of submitting to
you up to the present, Mr. Minister, concern especially events of
which the towns of Aerschot and Louvain and the communes in the
Provinces of Antwerp and Brabant have been the theatre. New reports
will be sent you shortly which will permit you to take cognizance of
the gravity of acts committed by the invaders in other parts of the
country, notably in the Provinces of Liége, Namur, Hainault, and
Flanders.
The President,
(Signed) COOREMAN.
The Vice President,
(Signed) COUNT GOBLET D'ALVIELLA.
The Secretaries,
(Signed) CHEVALIER ERNEST DE BUNSWYCK,
(Signed) ORTS.
"FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH"
By SIDNEY LOW.
[From King Albert's Book.]
She is not dead! Although the spoiler's hand
Lies heavy as death upon her; though the smart
Of his accursed steel is at her heart,
And scarred upon her breast his shameful brand;
Though yet the torches of the vandal band
Smoke on her ruined fields, her trampled bones,
Her ravaged homes and desolated fanes,
She is not dead but sleeping, that wronged land.
O little nation, valorous and free,
Thou shalt o'erlive the terror and the pain;
Call back thy scattered children unto thee,
Strong with the memory of their brothers slain,
And rise from out thy charnel-house, to be
Thine own immortal, radiant self again.
[Illustration: H.I.M. AUGUSTA VICTORIA
The Most Recent Photograph of the German Empress.
(_Photo from American Press Association._)]
[Illustration: A WAR-TIME PICTURE OF THE KAISER
The Effects of the Stress of War Are Noticeable in This Photograph of
the War Lord, Taken in His Winter Campaign Uniform.
(_Photo from Underwood & Underwood._)]
"A Scrap of Paper"
Recent Versions of the German Chancellor's Reference to the Belgian
Treaty of Neutrality[2]
By Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg and Sir Edward Grey.
[Footnote 2: The report of Sir Edward Goschen, British Ambassador to
Berlin, on the severance of diplomatic connections between England and
Germany, was published by the British Foreign Office as a "White
Paper" on Aug. 27, 1914. Sir Edward said that in pursuance of
instructions from Downing Street, he went on Aug. 3 to see Gottlieb
von Jagow, the German Foreign Minister, and asked if Germany would
promise to respect Belgian neutrality. Herr von Jagow replied that it
was too late, as German troops had already crossed the Belgian border,
and explained the military necessity of this step.
After remonstrance, Sir Edward withdrew, but made another visit the
same afternoon and warned von Jagow that unless the German Government
at once withdrew its troops from Belgian soil he must demand his
passports. Herr von Jagow repeated that withdrawal was impossible;
and, seeing that war was now certain, expressed his deep regret at the
failure of the policy by which he and the Chancellor, Dr. von
Bethmann-Hollweg, had been trying to get into more friendly relations
with England and through her with France.
The Ambassador, after mutual expressions of personal regard, withdrew
and visited the Imperial Chancellor, who, according to Sir Edward's
story, "began a harangue, which lasted about twenty minutes. Just for
a word, 'neutrality'--a word which in war was so often disregarded--just
for a scrap of paper, Great Britain was going to make war on a kindred
nation. The policy to which he had devoted himself had tumbled like a
house of cards. What Great Britain had done was unthinkable--it was
like striking a man in the back when he was fighting for his life
against two assailants."
Sir Edward said that he protested strongly against this and told the
Chancellor that, while an advance through Belgium might be a matter of
life and death for Germany, the defense of Belgian neutrality, in
compliance with her solemn engagement, was a matter of life and death
for the honor of Great Britain.
"The Chancellor said," Sir Edward continued: "'But at what a price
will that compact have been kept! Has the British Government thought
of that?' I hinted to his Excellency as plainly as I could that fear
of consequences could hardly be regarded as an excuse for breaking a
solemn engagement. But his Excellency was so excited, so little
disposed to hear reason, so evidently overcome by the news of our
action, that I refrained from adding fuel to the flame by further
argument."]