The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-13

used as a military screen against the
enemy. on another three soldiers went
into action carrying small children to
protect themselves from flank fire. A
shocking case OF the murder Of a baby
by drunken soldier at Malines Is thus
recorded by one eyewitness and con-
firmed by another:
"One day when the Germans were not
actually bombarding the town I left
my house to go TO my mothers house
In High street. My husband was with
me. I saw eight German soldiers, and
they were drunk. They were singins
and making a lot Of noise and dancing
about As the German soldiers came
along the street | saw a small child
whether boy or girl could not See come
out OF house. The child was about two
years OF age. The child came into the
middle OF the street 20 as to be In the way
OF the soldiers. The soldiers were waltz
ing In twos. The first line OF two passed
the child; one OF the second line. the
man on the left. stepped aside and drove
his bayonet with both hands Into the
child's stomach. lifting the child into
the air on his bayonet and carrying II
away on his bayonet. he and his COM
rades still singing. The child screamed
when tho soldier struck II with his
bayonet, but not afterward."
These, no doubt, were for the mos,
part the acts Of drunken soldiers, bu,
an incident has been recorded which
discloses the fact that even sober and
highly placed officers were not Away.
disposed to place a high value on child
life. Thus the General. wishing to be
conducted to the Town Hall at Leb.
beke. remarked in French to his guide
who was accompanied by a small boy
IF YOU do not show me the right way
! will shoot you and your boy" Their.
/ was no need to carry the threat into
execution. but that the threat should
! have been made Is significant.
We cannot tell whether these act.
OF cruelty to children were part OF IN,
scheme for inducing submission by In
spring terror. In Louvain. where thS
system OF terrorizing was carried tc
the furthest limit. outrages on children
were uncommon The same. however
cannot be said OF some OF the smaller
villages which were subjected TO tn,
system. In Hofstade and Semps,. II
Haecht, Rotseiaer and wespelaer, man,
children were murdered Nor can II b,
said OF the village Of Tamines, vher,
/ three small children Whose names ar,
given by an eyewitness Of the crime
were slaughtered on the green for n,
apparent motive. II Is difficult to i'm
agine the motives which may hav,
| prompted such acts. Whether or n,
Belgian civilians fired on German sol
diers. young children nj any rate die
not fre. The number and chsractc,
OF these murders constitute the mos
| distressing feature connected with tn,
conduct OF the war so far as II 10 re
vealed In the dispositions submitted I,
the committee.
'c The Use Of Civilians a.
We have before us considerable.
| body OF evidence with reference TO tn.
| practice OF the Germans OF using civil
ians and sometimes military prisoners
/ as screens from behind which the,
| could hre upon the Belgian troops II
/ the hope that the Belgians would no
| return the fire for fear OF killing n,
! wounding their own fellow countrymen
! In some cases this evidence refers I,
, places where fighting was actually goin,
! on In the streets OF a town or village
| ana to these cases We attach little i'm
! portance. IL might well happen whei
| terrified civilians were rushing about I,
seek safety. that groups OF them Nigh
: be used as screen by either side O
the combatants without any intention o
ihhumanity or OF any breach OF tn,
rules OF civilized warfare But settin,
aside these doubtful cases there re
mains evidence which satisfies us tina
, on so many occasions as to justify IL,
/ being described as practice the Ger
man soldiers. under the ewes and by IN,
direction OF their officers, were guilt,
| of this act
Thus. for instance. outside Fort FIe
, ron. near Liege. men and children wer
marched In front OF the Germans :,
prevent the Belgian soldiers from firing
The progress OF the Germans through
Mons was marked by many Incidents o
this character. Thus. on the 22d n
! August. half dozen Belgian collier
! returning from work were marching If
front OF some German troops who wer
pursuing the English. and in the opin
ion OF the witnesses they must hav
been placed there Intentionally. Al
English officer describes how he cause
a barricade to be erected in a mai
thoroughfare leading out Of Mons whe
the Germans. In order to reach eros
road In the rear. fetched civilians on
or the houses on each side OF the mai
road And compelled them TO hold "
white f'aRs and act a. cover
Another British officer who saw thi
incident Is convinced that the German
were acting deliberately for the purpos
OF protecting themselves from the Ar
or the British troops. Apart from thi
protection the Germans could not hay
advanced. as the street was straight an
commanded by the British rife fire n
range OF ZOO or 500 yards. Severa
British soldiers also speak TO this in
cident and their story Is confirmed by
Flemish witness In a side street
On the cath OF August men. wome
and children were actually pushed int
the front OF the German position ou,sid
Mons. The witness speaks OF sixtee
TO twenty women. about a dozen chi
dren and half dozen men being Their,
Seven or eight women and Ave q
six very young children wore utilize
In this way by some Uhlans betwee
Landrecies and Guise.
Belgian soldier saw an incident c
this character during the retreat fror
Namur.
At the battle OF Malines sixty g
eighty Belgian civilians, among who,
were some women, were driven befor
the German troops. Another witnes
saw a similar incident near Malines bl
much larger number OF civilians wa
involved and priest was In front wit
a white flag.
In another instance, rela ted BY q He
gian soldier. the civilians were tied b
the wrists in groups.
At Eppeghem, where the German
were driven back by the Belgian sort
from Antwerp. civilians were used as
cover for the German retreat.
Near Mallnes, early In Septembe
about ten children roped together wei
, driven In front OF German force.