New Britain herald., 1915-07-16
AUSTRIAN RED BOOK SCORES ALLIES METHODS OF WARFARE Collection of Evidence Dvid ed Into Four Parts-Gves Many Instances of "B arbarous Treatment" of
 Nationals an Prisoners.

completed the laws of warfare. One
 or the main causes for this unfortu-
 nate situation must be ascribed to the
 employment of troops wholly una pie to
 perceive the legal restrictions appneo
 to warfare. The French professor ci
 law, already quoted above, enumerates
 the doctrine that countries at war With
 nations of a low standard of c1villza-
 ton are compelled to apply methods
 or warfare which correspond to the
 level of their opponents morals. ne
 adds: The French acted in accord
 ance with this precept in Africa, Ton
 kin, China and Dahomey; the Eng X fish in India and Russians in CaucaSia
 and in Turkestan. France, Great
 Britain and Russia could, therefore,
 not possibly expect that their African
 and Asiatic subjects would respect the
 provisions of international law; there cannot be the slightest doubt that they are we'll aware that they are dlsre-
 garding the law of European nations when they line up savages ana half- savages against the troops of Euro pean powers.
 The object of this publication is to adduce only such violations of the in- ternational law as have been perpe- trated directly and individually against nationals of the dual mon archy: it, therefore, does not include the evidences of numerous exceed ingly grave breaches of the law which affected Austria Hungary in an indi- rect and general way. Such breaches are to be found in the arbitrary and unlawful declaration of France and Great Britain with regard to the status of Morocco. Egypt and Cyprus, in the violation of the rights of neutral na- tions and in the systematic disregard of the regulations provided by mari time law.
 Famine Sacrilegious Violation.
 .aThe preposterous claim of the hos tile nations to the right to subject the entire population of large countries to famine must be stigmatized as a sac- rilegious violation of the rules of war fare No less sacrilegious is the act of the hostile governments in tolerat- ing, if not actually inspiring, the un- precedented agitation of a press which disseminates lies and fosters hatred. Most of the excesses to which thou sands of innocent and defenseless peo- pie have fallen victims are the direct outcome of that agitation.
 "The collection of evidence, as now published for general information, cannot convey even faint idea of the decay which the notions of inter- national law have undergone and which in the course of a few months have destroyed many hope; it may, however, furnish some facts for the reflection of those whose Judgment has remained unbiased as to who is responsible for the collapse of the law of nations and of the sense of morality in a war brought on by our enemies for the purpose of crushing nations engaged in the peaceful pursuit of the blessing of civilization, and as to who has the right to claim that he is fight ing this hotly-contested struggle for the sake of liberty and humanity.
 Further Reports of Violations.
 "The Austro- Hungarian ministry of foreign affairs has received, since the printing of this collection was com pleted, a number of further reports of violations of international law com mitted by hostile governments, and among them the reports of the con- sular officials recently released from Russia. These and similar revelations which may come to hand at future date will be published in the form of to the present collection. The names of a number of wit nesses have been withheld at their own special request; they have reasons to fear that the publication of their names would tend, as long as the pas sions aroused by the war last, to sub- ject them to reprisals and thus en- danger either their interests or those of other persons in hostile countries. The identity of all the witnesses has, however, been carefully established by responsible government ofnclals; the names which have, for the time be- ing, been suppressed will be available when their publication will not be liable to entail harm to them or other sufferers of the war"
 A typical example of the treat ment of Austrians in Belgium is described in a letter from an Austrian merchant in the perfumery business who had lived for fifteen years in Paris and was forced to leave within twenty-four hours.
 Brutality Beyond Description.
 "The hostility and brutality of the population of Brussels towards Ger mans and Austrians,' he writes con- corning his journey through Belgium, was beyond description. From Brus- sells we proceeded to Antwerp wherc we were arrested by the Carde Civi- que on the station platform. .... My poor wife was hurried on with the butt. ends of the guards rifles. As she took no heed of this, she was struck across both legs with a rifle and was injured. We witnes- sed most pitiable scenes. A child nine years, was so frightened that it refused to follow the others and c1uny with both hands to the railings at the exit; garde civique hit with it's sabre and cut it's left hand off