The Washington times., 1915-05-12
GERMANS ATROC|OUS.
SAYS BRYCE REPORT

NEW YORK. May 12.-"Murder, lust,
and pillage on scale unparalleled In
any war between civilized nations dur
ing the last three centuries" are al
legged against Germany in connection
with her operations in Belgium, In the
report Of the British government COM
mission. headed by former Ambassador
James Bryce. which was put on sale
today.
The document reviews the various
atrocities cited by the Belgian commits
sion. and then explains In detail the
proof furnished the commission which
convinced 1t that the charges were
true.
Many of the outrages are declared to
have been due to drunkenness on the
part of the soldiers. to the turning loose
without restraint Of brutal and bestial
natures. and to the confusion caused
by the authorised campaign Of killing.
arson. and destruction as reprisals for
civilians attacking German troops.
The commission cites cases where Ger
man soldiers were killed for attacking
women.
Summing up its conclusions the COM
mission says: 1T has been proven that
there have been In many parts of Bel
gium deliberate and systematically Or
ganized massacfes Of the civil popula-
ton. accompanied by many Isolated
THAT in the conduct of the war gen.
orally. innocent civilians. both men and
women, were murdered in large num-
bers, women violated and children
That looting. house burning and the
wanton destruction Of property were
ordered and countenanced by the Of
flcers Of the German army. that elabor-
ate provision had been made for sys-
temat!c incendiarism at the very, out
hraak nY the and that the hurn-
ing and destruction were frequent where
no military necessity could be alleged
being indeed part OF system oi
general terrorization.
were frequently broken, particularly by
the using OF civilians, including women
and children as a shield for advancing
forces exposed to fire, to less degree
sg h1E III I the s.oSn %enhdsS sSuss snd Of s se
Cross and the white flag"
Commenting on their conclusions. the
commission say:
Sensible as they are of the gravity
of these conclusions. the committee con-
cede that they would be doing less thar
their duty II they failed to record them
as fully established by the evidence
Murder. lust and pillage prevailed oVeI
many parts Of Belgium on a scale un,
paralleled in any war between civilized
nations during the last three centuries
"Our function is ended when we have
stated what the evidence establishes
but we may be permitted to express oui
belief that these disclosures will moi
have been made in vain. II they touch
and rouse the conscience of mankind
and we venture to hope that as soor
as the present war is over the nations
OF the world In council will consider
what means can be provided and sane
ton devices to prevent the recurrence
Of such horrors as our generation IL
now witnessing"
The commissioners sent examiner.
into the field to secure dispositions of
witnesses. ana 200 OF them were con-
sidered by II. The specific "outrages'
investigated and declared proven are
those at Lieee. where, on August 20
houses on three streets were sys-
tematically destroyed by fire; In th'
valleys OF the Sambre and Meuse, Di
nant, Louvain, Haecht. Kerschot. Me
lines, Vilvorde. and other places which
have already been given wide publicity
In the reports of the Belgian commits
sion some months ago.