The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-05-12
DRUNK SOLDIERS
MUT|LATE BABES
Whole Families Slaughtered And
Prepared For Burning By Ger
mans In Belgium.
REPORT OF VISCOUNT BRYCE
English PrOberS Give Their Result
OF investigations Into Alleged
TeutOniC OutraeeS.

LONDON. May f. yiscouut Bryce,
former British ambassador NJ Wash
mgtou, aud now chairman of a spec
ial government committee appointed
tu investigate aud report on 'outrageo
alleged 10 have been committed by
German troops during the present
war" has submitted the report Of the
committee to Premier Asquith
The document Is considered rs prob
ably the most severe arrnigumrnt thus
fur madr of the German military
sweep across Belgium muinly because
Of the position of Nisruunt Bryce A. a
historian. aud also because Of the
care with which the Investigation WAS
made. the great number NJ witnesses
whose testimony was examined, ana
the mass uf evidence now submitted
with the report NJ the committee.
Associated with Lord Bryce on the
committee were lir Frederick Pollock,
Sir Edward Cmrkc Sir Alfred Hop
kmson. II A t. Fisher, vice chnnccl-
lor of the University of sheffield, Hnr
old Cox. and krnem r. Digby. The
committee WAS appointed by Premier
Asuuith ON January - last and was
given broad instructions to Investigate
"alleged uutrages. the msltrcntment of
civilians and breaches Of law aud rs
tabllshrd usagrs of war"
What IL Proven.
The most important findings " the
committee are summed mp In the fol
lowing conclusion at the close ~ the
report
1T will be- seen that the committee
have come tu definite conclusion
upon each NJ the heads under which
the evidence has been classified
1T is proved
First That there were In many
parts ~ Belgium deliberate aud sys.
tematically organized masSacre4 OF
the civil population, accompanied by
many Isolated murders and other out
RACES.
second That In the conduct of
the war generally innocent civilians
both men aud women, wvrr murdered
IN large numbers, women violated, aud
children murdered
Third That lootlng, house burn
Ing. and the wnntOn destruction Of
property were ordered and COunte
nanccd hy the officers ~ the German
army that elaborate provision had
been nude for systematic inceudlarNm
At the very outbreak NJ the war, ana
that the burning aud destruction were
frequently where mo- military necessity
could be- alleged being indeed part II
system uf general tcrrurlYHtiOu
Fourth. That the rules and
usagcs uf war were frequently broken
particularly by the using " civilians
including women and children. ns d
shield fur advancing furcrs exposed {,
fire 10 q less degree 10y killing IN,
wounded and prisoners, aud In tn,
frequent abuse NJ the Red Cross an,
the White Flag
Murder, Lust and PlllAge.
Sensible aS they are of the gravity
OF these conclusions the commltte,
conceive that they would be- doing les,
than their duty II they failed 10 rec
ord them ~ fully established by IN,
evidence Murder, lust and pillag,
prevailed over many parts of Belgium
ON u scale unparalleled in any war I've
tween civilized nations during the las
three centuries
The report makes AN official docu
mcnt ~ siNtyonc printed pages. O
upward II 10000 words accompanies
by maps. showing the various route
OF the army aud the chief scenes q
desOlnliuu II states NJ the outse
that 2UD witnesses have been OK
Hmincd, the dispositions being tnkeI
hy examiners NJ legal knowledge mn,
experience though without authorit
10 administer am onih The examiner
were instructed not IN lead the wit
uessrs mud tu seek lu bring nut IN
truth hy examination aud other
wise The committees also submit cX
tructs from 'umhcr NJ diaries take
from the Gcrmuu dead chiefly GrI
man soldiers and I'm sOmc cases Off
GERS
Taking up the conditions NJ leg,
Belgium, nj the outset of the wal
the report gives q narrowing rcclm
uf occurrence ~ various points 4
the devastated territory. At Hory
on August 1, the report suys, "th
murder ~ nn Innocent fugitive ciyi
Ian was n prelude to the burning an
plllagr uf the town aud Of other vi
lagos In the neighborhOud tO the II
discriminate shooting " civilians q
both sexes and 10 the organized mil
tary execution ~ batchps W selecte
males Thus some fifty men escapln
from burning houses were seized. tai
en- outside the town aud shot Az Me
en-. n hamlet west NJ Herve. forty me
were shot I'm one household alon
the father and mother (names given
were shot, the daughter died after b,
inr repeatedly outraged, aud the Va
WIS wounded
Girl IL Killed.
"ln SOumngne aud Michcroux yer
many civilians were summarily shu
IN n field belonging TO II mun name
v -. ~ or va were put to dealt
A German officer said You In,
shot NJ ns Onp NJ the villagers asl
ed to he allowed tn speak, and sal,
II you think these fired fired, ki
men, hut let them 60. The nnsw,
was three volleys The survivors wei
bayonetted Their corpses were see
IN the field that night by anoth,
witness. tine at least had been mi
tilAtpd These were not the only yI
Continued on Last Pagel