The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-30
GERMANY DENIES ATROCITY CHARGES
AND ACCUSES BELGANS OF CRUEL TIES
Continued from First Page.

ticles I and . Of the treaty OF The
Hague as signed by Belgium. These
are as follows:
ARTICLE I.
The laws, rights and duties OF wal
apply not only to armies but also to
militia and volunteer corps, fulfilling
the following conditions:
l. To be commanded by n person
responsible for his su~bordinates.
2. To have a fixcd distinctive en-
blcm recognizable at a distance.
.. To carry aims openly. and
!. TO conduct their operations in
accordance with the laws and customs
of
In countries where militia or VOL
unteer corps constitute the army or
form n part OF II they are included
under the denomination, army.
ARTICLE II.
The population Of n territory which
has not been occupied. who. on the
enemy's approach spontaneously take
up arms to resist the invading troops
without having time to organize them
selves in accordance with Article l..
shall he regarded as belllgerent, II
they respect the laws and customs
of war.
Assailants Not Belugerents.
For this reason the Belgian franc
tireurs could not be considered organ
ICED bodies of militia or volunteers. ac-
cording to the rights of war. II makes
no difference that apparently also mill.
tary individuals n members OF the
Belgian civil guard took part In these
for as those individuals wore no military
Uniform and dressed In civilian clothes
and mingled among fighting civilians
they could make no claim to be consid.
cred belligerents.
belgian franc-tireurs ave never
fought openly Inc have throughout VIC.
lated the laws and regulations OF war
Incontestable proofs are at land that
In a great number OF cases the German
troops when they arrived were friendly
They we're received by the Belgian civil
population and then attacked will
as darkness came, or soms
other opportunity offered itself. Incl
dents of this kind happened at Belgny
Esneux. Grand Rosiere. Bevre. Gouvyi
Villersde. JANITORIAL. Sainte Marie les
Bulles. Yschippe. Acoz, Aershot. Ar
denne and Llege.
"All these attacks openly violated the
rules and international rights to carry
arms openly.
What We principally accuse the
Belgian population OF is shameless viola
ton OF the rules OF war in various
places. For instance. at Liege. Brussels
Aerschot and Dinant German soldiers
have been murdered from behind. which
violates the rule against assassination
or wounding Of members OF hostile
people or army (Article %. paragraph
Id OF the treaty of The lIague.)
Fired on German Hospitals.
THE Belgian people save besides
paid no attention TO the flag OF the
Red Cross. thus violating Article ? oil
the Geneva convention especially. They
have not hesitated to hoo at German
troops protected by this flag and attack
hospitals containing wounded soldiers
as well a. surgeons and nurses per
forming their duties.
Finally II has been proved beyond
any doubt that German wounded sol
diers have been robbed and murdered
nay. even mutiliated In a most horribl,
manner and that even women and youne
girls have taken part in such horrible
crimes. The German wounded soldiers
have had their eyes gouEed out. ears
noses. fingers and exual parts cut on
their abdomen cut open. while in other
cases the German soldiers nave beer
poisoned. hanged In trees. s~prinkled with
burning fluids and burned In other man.
ners 80 they died in a particularly pain.
full manner
This beastly behavior on the part OF
the Belgian population not only against
the express obligation to show respect
and look after the sick and wounded o!
a hostile army (Article !, paragraph l
Geneva convention, but also a blow In
the face OF the first principles and rules
OF wal and humanity. Under these
circumstances the Belgian civilian popu'
lation who took part in the fight had
OF course. no right to claim to be treated
as helligerents. but the instinct of self
preservation Of the German army dis
tinctly demanded that the sternest o.
measures be taken against these franc
tireurs. All OF these persons who fought
against the German troops therefore nae
TO be killed, and the prisoners taker
could not be treated as prisoners OF war
but as common murderers.
Women and children pared
atn yni,a 80 this We have whenever