Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-15
GERMANS VIOLATED
ALL RULES OF WAR,
BELGTANS CHARGE
English Parliament Investi-
gates Numerous and Grave
Atrocities Alleged in Sec
ond Report.
LONDON. Sept. is.

LONDON, Sept. 10.
New charges against the German
troops which invaded Belgium were
made public here today by the Belgian
legation In the second detailed report of
atrocities. that the commission. now in
America, will call to the attention Of
President Wilson. The report OF the
commission which investigated the al
legged atrocities, after citing numerous
outrages at Louvain and elsewhere,
makes the following conclusions:
THAT the occupation of any town by
Germans was systematically accompa-
population contrary to both the usages
of war and the most elementary princl-
pies Of humanity.
THE procedure everywhere was the
same. The Germans, advancing along the
roads, shot inoffonsive passers-by and
peasants working in the fields. They re-
QUESTIONED food in the villages. They
continued to consume all liquor to be
obtained until they became intoxicated
and then followed fire murder, pillage and
deliberate crueltes against the !nhabi-
tants. without respect for age or sex.
From several places the male popula-
harvest fields The women, left alone and
unprotected. were then ordered to return
to their houses, but to leave the doors
open throughout the night.
Numerous witnesses have declared that
the Germans, when attacking a town
placed civilian men and women in the
front rank. They used white flags and
Red Cross flags for the purpose of being
able to approach our troops with impun-
ity: fired on our ambulances and maltreat-
ed and even killed wounded. There is also
absolute evidence Of the use of dunn dunn
bullets.
Among numerous details the commits
sion reports:
1.-THE German army entered Louvain
August 49, having burned villages through
which they passed. They burst in the
doors OF untenanted houses, pllaEed and
committed other eXccssos. The Mayor of
the city, the vice rector of the univer-
eity and q number of other not1hles. in
Guiding a member of the Senate. were
seized as hostages, All of the weapons
of the residents Of the city had previous
ly been turned over to the municipal
authorities. Fire ragged in Louvain three
days.
''At Hofstade the Belgians found the
corpse of an old woman who had been
stabbed to death with bayonets Nearby
lay the body Of q 15-year-old boy. his
body pierced in many places. The corpse
OF a non-combatant was tound hanging
In tree.
Belgian Red Cross workers, wounded
Belgian soldiers and priests were mall
treated. 1t seemed as though the Ger
mans picked out the clergymen particu-
larly for their brutal acts.
at Esmael the bodies of two men,
partly burned, were found. One witness
says he saw an old man tied up 10 the
rafters OF a farmhouse near Malines. The
trur'S had then been burned. but the head,
N-a~d feet were untouched by fire
Numerous corpses of peasants lay upon
the ground in positions of supplication.
"At WackerzelI seven German soldiers
nlistreated a woman and then killed her.
At Buecken many Inhabitants were
killed, including an octogenaran priest.
Near Wolverth the Germans picked up
two wounded Belgian soldiers and threw
them into burning house.
Witnesses counted 80 corpses along
the road from Termonde to Louvain,
which the German army had traversed.
Occupation OF any community was
Systematically accompanied by violence
against the civilian population"
LONDON. Sept. Is.
Premier AsQnith announced in the
House OF Commons this afternoon thar
the Government had begun formal steps
10 investigate the charges OF German
atrocities in Belgium.