The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-28
Special Commission Tells OF Expo
Sure and Cruel Treatment by Ger
mans of Helpless Civilians.
Population.
VIOLATION OF LAW OF NATIONS.
Thousands Taken from Their Homes
and Heralcd Like Cattle Amid I'm
sanitary Conditions--Slept on Wet
Graund--Many Died.
tAiaiI Correspondence

Just been submitted to the premier by
the special commission which recently
made a report of the outrages COM
mitted BY the soldiers of the Kaiser
In the territory overruu by them.
/ The civilian prisoners, at lces, those
/ who survived the privations of the
concentration camps, have been re-
patriated through Switzerland, and the
report submitted to the premier is
based on their stories. The special
mmissioners who comprise Georges
Payeile, first president of the Cour
Des Complies Armand Mollard, former
chief du protocole, Georges Maringer.
counsellor OF state. and Edmond PAIL
lott. councillor of the Cour De Cas-
alton, lay stress upon the fact that
the persons examined told their sto-
rie,s under cath and in conditions
which made it Impossible that there
should be collusion among them.
Painful Journey.
The history OF their journey into
Germany and the sufferings which
they were forced TO undergo reads
more like tho long. weary progress OF
band of Russian exiles on their way
j to Siberia than a tale OF happenings in
France,
About 10000 Of our compatriots.
says the report, were taken away in
{ to the enemy's territory to remain
there in captivity until they were sent
! back into France on February rs
last They were women, they were
children. young men less than seven
teen, and old men of more than sixty.
Among them were also men between
the ages OF seventeen and sixty who
after an examination by the German
medical authorities, we're admitted to
be Of no use for military service. on
their return to France through SwitZ-
erland they arrived at Annemasse, and
have been distributed in the South
western districts of France.
we have seen large number or
them and questioned about three hun
dred All OF these three hundred
refugees gave their testimony under
oath Their declarations which seem
10 be made In the most complete sin
certty struck rs ny the unanlunity of
the stories which they told ali the
more convincing aimee We made our
inquiries in twenty-eight different To-
calities, which excludes all possibility
OF a possible understanding between
the witnesses
Revolving Conduct.
After having protested against the
violation Of the rights of nations com
mitted by the Germans and THIS taxi
ing away from their own country
,ousands OF peaceful inhabitants who
were not engaged In warfare, the re-
port continues:
What strikes Us ne peculiarly re-
voting Is that the German military au.
therites Selling everybody who fell
I into their hands and sending them to
different camps. Young children who
were in the same conveys as their
| mothers were separated ON the way
and scores of women do not ever
know now What has become OF rheiI
husbands
Thus at Lubbock all the men m ONT
of the German trains We're forced &c
get out and sent In different direc-
ton from that takeh BY the trair
which contained their wives. AZ thi-
court, on September 3. German sol.
diers boarded a train and took Of
Nine. Andre, telling her that theil
commander needed some Information
which she could give The woman
desired to take her children with her
but the soldiers prevented this, say
ing that she would be permitted Il
return When she appeared before tn,
commandant. he asked her no ques
tons, but simply ordered that sh'
should be taken TO Germany on an
other train.
Long Journey On Foot.
"All the prisoners were forced t
make a long journey on foot, IN thu
course of which they passed the night
in the open air, in railway station
or in a church when they final.
came TO railway station which wa
free for such transportation. they Were
forced to make the journey in cattl'
cars.
Most of them were forced to 81
for days without eating, and it is be
yond doubt that scores of the oil,
people who were carried away from
the North of France would have die,
OF hunger If charitable women had no
come to their succor On the wa.
Pthrorsh Belgium.
prisoners taken from Rouhaix an,
the environs Of that town were thrown
into he trains to the number of sixt,
to ninety in a car. where II was i'm
50 possible for them to sit down, an,
during the journey of seventy-tw'
o hours into Germany they were allow
II ed to eat only twice.
II Savage Conduct.
II I'm our report of December II W
| gave an account Of the taking ava
II Of eighty inhabitants of Nareddes il
II tive department OF Seine Eft Marine
| We are told ut that time that at leas
| three of these persons were put &
| death. That was. unfortunately, oni
II part Of the truth. Nineteen men, no
| seventeen, as we first said, were ar
| rested in their homes by the German
| who were at that time about to bea
| a retreat Three OF these inhabitant
Y escaped aud went back to their vii
L lagos Their companions were takel
away. Several witnesses at differen
! parts OF the route followed by the Ger
II mans estabiis he'd that at least four y
n the prisoners were slain because the,
| were unable. through physical exhaus
| ton 10 follow the German convoy.