Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-10
GERMANY CHARGE
AGAINST BELGIUM
White Book Issued Explaining
Invasion and Subjuyation
of the Country.
BELGIAN PEOPLE ARE
ACCUSED OF TREACHERY
Document Gives Official Reports of
Uprisings-Alleges "Unlawful
Armed Resistance"

| For the purpose of justifyng it's
acts in the subjugation of Belgium,
! the German government has issued an
official white book, under the title
| The Belgian Peoples War in Viola
| ton of International Law" copies of
which have been sent to all neutral
| nations, including the United States,
| and briefed TRANSACTIONS of the salient
parts of which have been widely dis
tributed throughout this country by
the German ambassador, Count Won
Bernstorff.
Contents of the Book.
This condensation of the German White
Book contains:
A memorial record concerning I'M
lawful actions of the Belgian popula-
ton against German troops in general"
together with sixty-six sworn testi-
monials.
An official report on the riot in Aer-
schot, August 10 and 30, 1914, accom-
panied with five affidavits.
An official report on the riot at An
denne, August 20, 1914, accompanied by
four affidavits
An official report on the uprising in
Dinant, August u to "a, 1914 accom-
panied by eighty-seven aftidavits.
An official report on the riot at Lou
vain, from August % to %, 1914, ac-
companied by forty-nine affidavits and
one map, showing the burned sections
of Louvain.
The German original is open for in
spection at the offices of the imperial
embassy and of all the German con-
sulates in this country.
The English translation contains the
memorial record and the four official
summaries with about one-third of
the sworn testimonials. with the names
of the witnesses attached
The book is illustrated with two
maps, one showing Belgium and the
other the city of Louvain. with the
houses destroyed blocked off in black.
Charges Against Belgium.
The memorial sets forth:
Immediately after the outbreak of
the war in Belgium a savage fight was
started by the Belgian civilians against
the German troops, a fight which was
fragrant violation of international law,
and had the gravest consequences for
Belgium and her people.
"The fight of a population which was
governed by savage passion ragged
throughout Belgium during the whole
advance of the German army. When
after obstinate fights the Belgian army
receded before the German troops the
Belgium civilian population endeavored
not only by all possible means to halt
the German advance in those parts of
the country which We're still unoccu-
pied but even in places which had
long been occupied by German troops
the Belgian civilians did not shrink
from damaging and weakening the Ger
man host by cowardly and treachcrous
attacks.
THE extent of this armed resistance
OF the population may be seen from the
appended geographical sketch, in which
the German routes of advance and the
Belgian places in which the fighting
of the population has been raging have
in the main been indicated. Overwhelm-
ing evidence has been collected which
proves that on these marching routes
and at these places the Belgian civilian
population of every class, age and sex
took part in the fighting against the
German troops with the greatest bit
terness and fury. This evidence is
based on official statements, most of
them made under oath, and on official
reports: a selection of it is given in the
appendix, which, however, comprises
only the more important events and
which can at any time be amplified by
further evidence.
According to this evidence the Bel
Sian civilian population has fought
against. the German troops at many
places in the provinces of Liege, Lux
emburg, Namur, Hainault, Brabant,
East and West Flanders. The fights at
Aerschot, Andenne, Dinant and Lou
vain assumed a particularly terrible
character. About these special reports
have been drawn up by the military bu-
reau for the investigation of offenses
against the laws of war established in
the army department. In these fights
man of the most varied classes-work-
men, manufacturers, doctors, teachers,
even clerSymen, nay, women and chill
dren-were caught with arms in hand.
In districts from which the regular
Belgian troops had long withdrawn
shots were fired on the German troops
from houses and gardens, roofs and
cellars, fields and woods.
Irregular Methods Alleged.
in those fights means were used
which no regular troops would have
employed. Thus large quantities of
sporting rifles and ammunition, obso-
lete pistols and revolvers were found,
and numerous, in consequence, were
the wounds by small shot and also by
burning with hot tar and boiling water.
From all this it is evident that the war
of the people of Belgium was not only
waged by individual civilians, but by
| large masses of the population.
The warfare of the Belgian civilian
population was in complete violation of
| the universally recognized rules of in
ternational law, as expressed in The
| Hague regulations respecting the laws
| and customs of war on land, which
| have also been accepted by Belgium.
| These rules distinguish between an or