The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-24
French Charge Wanton
Atrocities to Germans
Investigating Commission, in Report Accuses Invaders of
Attacking Residents With Undesirable Cruelty
and Destroying Property Ruthlessly
TOWNS BURNED AND FARM LANDS DEVASTATED

PARIS. Jan. lO.--In the report prepared
,or Nh. French Government by the official
French commission appointed to investi-
cot, charges OF atrocities by the Germans
D., France the commissioners cndeavor
Z, proye that the rights Of man and
,ysry law Of warfare have been violated
N, the Germans in France. Hundreds OF
,rst, noes are quoted of towns which, 1t
b.. alleged. have been submitted to whole
s., rpiur and plumber by the invaders.
The commission has been careful to men
zion only those cases of wholesale de-
stru,t.ou said to have been wrought by the
Kusers troops which were brought about
without any military reason. Entire
towns. 10 says, have been wiped out, not
because their destruction was required in
order TO permit the advance of the in
,adug army or the erection OF defence
work. but merely In compliance with the
rule evidently laid down In advance for
the destruction Of French property to the
greatest extent possible.
It - pointed out In the report that
German officers have been first to direct
rot only the destruction of property but
Also mo actual removal VI OuJt'Nn VI
value II is stated that thousands of
cases Of paintings, silvcrwarc, rare lace
and other articles OF great value were
shipped ont OF the country by the Ger
mans during their first victorious march
through the northern departments Of
France Cases are cited where long trains
of motor trucks were employed for no
other purpose than the removal OF prop
erty stolen from the French inhabitants.
Al Evidence Verified.
In the Introductory remarks the report
points out that cases OF outrages COM
nittCd upon women, old and young, and
little girls, al times rs young as : and
Years old. are so numerous that IL
has been iupossihl" TO record them all.
The comm. ssiousrs were particularly care
iul uo. TO accept amy evidence which they
were NOT able 90 verify in the most thor
ough fashion. Every case was submitted
" o searching inquiry No hcarsay evil
deuse was accepted, and hundreds OF cases
we're SET aside merely because the word
vi 81 third ur fourth party would have
fu To. accepted
Tn, commits. Ioners also point out that
10 -roat uul ucr OF cases the victims
lefl~,d TIN ugh feelins Of shame, TO
.rs,.d the tate witch had beiallen them.
aud although detailed descriptions thereof
We. urui,gsd by relatives, friends and
actual UI;uyss,s no such cases we're in
clujrl iu the report
THE commissioners also d clare that
....t col the facts revealed in their reports
relate 10 crimes committed in the pres
,y.. g the commanding officers Of the
invading forces II IS clearly pointed out
,nu Iu tie great majority OF cases thes
9 ars .Ould have b en- aNertel had the
officers CHOSEN to arrest Jh- fury Of their
soldiers tn,,- ufT.C,rs. o.; INC contrary
ar f.i, ed 10 have given "A free hand 10
he troops, and iu o great number Of
cas- supervised the work OF destruction.
case Departments Inspected.
Tho hc,al report covers cases inves-
eI.cl iu the departments ot the Seine
q Nanc. the MarH,, the Neuse, the
Nr.utar-ct Mosa, he. tho Oise and the
Asue n is .igned by GEORGE Payelle
Tt,v President Of the court Of Accounts :
Armand Nol,ard Minister r'enlpotentiary
" france and former chief Of the proto-
% ';,urge Matugcr Counsellor OF
STATE. uld NJ Pallot counsellor at the
Cour. ot Cessation 40 attempt is made
= th.4 summary to review each case
mentioned 1y the commission. only a
few OF tie most important cases IN each
apartment viii BE- mentioned.
Dr. tho Sciue-ct-Marne department the
.NadIng army destroyed a great num-
.er OF villages The German troops, ac-
,ordug to evidence gathered by the COM
u.s,io0-rs. were equipped with special
material used for no other purpose than
20 .at Gr. and hasten the destruction OF
20. pcrfy This equipment comprised not
,rly torches bombs ard grenades but
$50 chemicals aud q peculiar kind OF
and pump similar to the air pumps
us7d for bicycles and with which tho
Gcrapp soldiers spread petroleum on
hurr0 g ruins of the homes OF the French
Inhabitants.
A, Chauvhonin eleven houses were de
,'royed i'm this manner and the towns Of
Nonlis peucnard, Barcy. Douy-La-
UJmec and May-ou-Multion also were
yrfl. wrecked.
~ Sancv-les Province the Germans ar
'ivoI Oh september at o'clock in the
,vouIug and Immediately took eighty
hostages. ON the following morning thirty
~ these hostages were removed to near
by place named Pierrelcz where the Ger
man Red cross ambulance had been In
stalled Here, says the report, the Ger
mans chief surgeon paraded the French
nraorers Ia front Of the German wounded
and delivered . short address In which
no informed his countrymen that these
I',uohmen were to be killed and that
tnrE iur wounded would be permitted
10 oo the shooting.