The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-17

or the regulations to which they have
 freely consented
 The American people nave always dis
 played its respect for justice, its search
 for progress and an instinctiva attach
 ment for the laws of humanity. There fore, 1t has won moral influence that is recognized by the entire world. Turns to America
 ''It is for this reason that Belgium,
 bound as it is to you pv ties of com
 merce and increasing friendship. turns to the American people at this time to let it know the real truth of the present situation.
 Resolved to continue its defense of it's sovereignty and independence, it deems t a duty to bring to the attention of the civilized world the innumerable grave breaches of the rights of mankind of which she has been a victim.
 At the very moment we were leaving Belgium the King recalled to us his trip to the United States and the vivid and virile civilization left upon his mind. "Our faith in your rairness. our conh- d;nce in your justice, in your spirit tf generosity and sympathy. all these dic- tated our present mission'
 MT. Carton de Wiart handed to Pres- Qent WllSOn tHt TcSuitS or tnc Otllclhl 1fI- quiry instituted by the Belgian govern lnent, showing in detail the destruction in Belgium.
 Since collecting the foregoing testi- mony the following cables regarding the same subjects were received from the
 minister of foreign affairs of Belgium: |" September S--You have received the reports of the commission of August 25 and 31. Since then a great many locali- ell tod in Ia ViIunrda- h n n Louvain triangle an extremely fertile and densely populated district, have been par tially pllaged and totally destroyed by fire. Their inhabitants have fled, while a number of them, among others wom- en and children. were arrested and shot without trial and without apparent req son, except to inspire the population with terror This was done in Sempst, Weerde Elewyt, Hofstade. Wespalaer, Wisele Bueken, Eppeghem, Houtehm, Tremeloo Tistlet Gelrode and Herent. At Wavre, where the population was unable to pay a big levy 56 houses were set on fire
 The largest part of Cortenberg is burnt To excuse these attacks the Germans al. lege an army of civilians resisted them According to trustworthy testimony, nc provocations can be proved at Wis, Aesr. chot Louvain, Wavre and in other local. ities sits.ated in the Malines- Louvain-vil. verde district, where fire was set ant massacres committed several days after the German occupation.'
 Ruins and Devastation September 15.--Inform the Bel gian commission that the Belgian com mittee on inquiry continues to report ruins devastations and pillage, sys- tematically organized by German troops in the towns invested by them. The city of Termonde was destroyed with out any hostile participation on tho pn-s of the civilian population. Out oi 1400 houses only 295 remain standing -others were destroyed by fire and raSed to the ground after the Gorma nj entered the city. Several civilians were imprisoned and executed with
 bay onets in the presence of their rel.
 atives and fellow citizens. In Mellen.
 inc civilians were killed and 45 prop. critics destroyed without any reason
 The reoccupation of Aeschot by ths
 Belgian army reveals disastrous deeds Dwellings which are not destroyed b, fire were completely sacked and oil. lared on September before the re. turn of the Belgian troops. Four hun dred civilians, among them 30 clergy men, were locked since August 30 into the church without food. carried of and sent to destinations unknown. Lo calities in the neighborhood are com, pletely destroyed. everywhere along the road are corpses Women ant 'young girls were outraged. Systematl'
 pillage.