The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-31

Yschippe. Acoz. Aerschot, Ardenne
and Lege.
''All these attacks openly violated
the rules and international rights to
carry arms openly.
what we principally accuse the
Belgian population of is shameless
violation of the rules of war in vari-
Gus places. For instance. at IAege,
Brussels. Aerschot and Dinant. Ger
man soldiers have been murdered
D., from behind, which violates the rule
against assassination or wounding of
! mombers of hostile people or army
! (Article 2S. paragraph lib, of the
treaty of The Hague).
Violated Red Cross Flag.
'+The Belgian people have, besides.
paid no attention to the flag of the
Red Cross. thus violating article of
the Geneva convention especially.
They have not hesitated to shoot at
German troops protected by this flag
and attacking and wounding soldiers,
as well az surgeons ind nurses per-
forming their duties.
Finally it has been proven be-
yond any doubt that German wound
ed soldiers have been robbed and
ITUTdFTtu. nay. even IttuLlIdlSdt III u
most horrible manner. and that even
women and young girls have taken
part in such horrible crimes The
German wounded soldiers have had
their eyes gouged out, ears, noses and
fingers cut off their abdomens cut
open, while In other cases the Ger
man soldiers have been poisoned,
hanged in trees. spfnkled with
burning fluids, and burned in other
manners so they died in a particular
ly painful 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 of a hostile army carticle
/, paragraph /, Geneva convention),
but also a blow in the face of the
first principles and rules of war and
huma nifty Under these circumstances
the Belgian civilian population. who
took part in the fight, had, OF course,
no right to claim to be treated as bel
ligerents but the instinct of self-pre-
servation Of the German army dis
tinctly demanded that her sternest of
measures be taken against these
franc-tireurs.
"Ail of these persons who
fought against the German
and the prisoners taken could not
he treated as prisoners OF war,
but as common murderers.
In spite of this. we have. when
ever II was not against the necessity
of war, endeavored to preserve the
rules of war. and prisoners were.
whenever il was In any way possible,
shot only after a regular examination.
or as sentenced by court martial.
Old Men, Women and Children, Too.
"Old men, women and children,
even when suspected, were spared as
far as IT WAS in any way possible,
and. although the patience of the
German soldiers. was tried to the ut
most by these vicious attacks. they
often in. a most self-sacriffcing man
ner cared for these people in every
manner, rendering protection to the
helpless sharing their bread with
them. and nursing. the weak and snf-
fering.
THAT the Belgian government must
take the blame for this violation of
international rights by the people OF
Belgium is beyond any doubt. 1t GER
tainly would have been very easy Tor
IL, through its newspapers and through
such officials az mayors, to give Its
soldiers and any members or the civil
guard. the necessary inst ructlnnsa SO
az 10 control the passions Of the popu-
lasian, which had been ptirposely
reused. Ths Belgian government
Hsast. therefore. take full raspens' pal-