The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-13

T the killing of non combatants carried
i out to an extent for which no previous
: war between nations claiming to be civ
j. iliZed as part of a deliberate plan in
Louvain, Aerschot, Dinant and other
: towns. The killing was done under or
ders in each place. Some OF the officers
did it reluctantly and said they were
obeying the directions from their chiefs,
i. The same remarks apply to the destruc-
tion of property. House burning was
; part of the programme; and villages.
even large parts of city, were given
to the flames as part OF the terrorizing
policy. The German government justiiies
its seventies on the grounds OF military
necessity and have excused them as re-
taliation for cases in which civilians
fired on German troops. There may
have been cases in which such firing
occurred, but no proof has ever been
given, or attempted to be given, OF
such cases, nor of the stories of shock
ing outrages perpetrated by Belgian men
and women on German soldiers. Refer
ring to statement by the chancellor
OF the German empire on Sept. II last,
| that Belgians had committed outrages
on the German soldiers, the committee
says: "No evidence whatever seems to
| have been adduced to prove this. and
| though there may be cases in which in,
dividual Belgians fired on the Germans,
the statement that the whole civilian
population of Belgium was called out,
is utterly opposed to the fact As II
matter of fact these excuses were COM
mitted--in some cases ordered, in 9TH |
ers allowed-on a system and in pur !
suance of set purpose. That purpose
was to strike terror into the civil pop |
ulation and dishearten the Belgian
troops, so as to crush down resistance
and extinguish the very spirit of self
defense. In the minds of Prussian Off
GERS war seems to have become a sort of
sacred mission, one of the highest func.
tons of the omnipotent state, which is
itself as much an army az state. Ordi-
aary morality and the ordinary senti-
ment of pity vanish in its presence, SUI
perseded by a new standard which justi-
fies to the soldier every means that can
conduce to success, however shocking to
natural sense of Justice and human
ity, however revolving to own feel
ings The spirit Of war is defied. This
doctrine is plainly set forth in the Ger.
man official monograph on the "Usages
of War on Land" issued under the direc-
ton of German staff. and reviewed at I
length in the Boston Transcript of March
"a, under the title, Hell the German !
Ideal in Making War" This book is |
pervaded throughout by the view that {
military needs suggest becomes v
thereby lawful. and upon this principle. j
as the diaries show, the German officers
acted. "Well.established cases of the C
slaughter toften accompanied by mntila.
toni of whole families. including not
that of quite small children
we're found. These crimes were commit .
ted over period of many weeks and
simultaneously in many places. II is
Hearty shown that many offenses were
committed against infants and quite 81
foung children. ON one occasion children n
we're even roped together and used as 4
military screen against the enemy on :,
mother three soldiers went into ac- :,
ion carrying snail children to protect ii
themselves from flank fire. There are :,
asses tending 10 show that aggravated "
rlmes against women were sometimes |
everely punished. One witness reports | h
hat young girl who was being pur- \,
ued by a drunken soldier al Louvain "a
ppcaled TO German officer. and that -
he offender was then and there shot N
'hese instances are sufficient TO show =,
hat the maltreatment OF women was 4.
o part Of the military scheme Of the a
lyaders. however much IL may appear ii
D have been tile inevitable result Of l.
he system Of terror deliberately adopt. A,
I in certain regions. MANY instance. n,
r. given 81 the use Of civilians a.
'reens during tho military operation.
mother branch Of the report deals with I
citing. burning and destruction Of
-operty. "The general conclusion The
port says. "is that the burning and
'strnction Of property which took place
- only in q very small minority Of
Ises justified bY military necessity
sscs Of firing On hospitals. Red Cross
nhuiances and stretcher bearers are re-
FRED TO- but tho report addss -On the
hole. We De not fBd proof Of q general
systematic firing on hospitals ~ an
Ilaners but ID j. not possible % ~.
~ that much care Was taken % avoid
g. Cases Of fhn Red Cross being
.sused for offensive military purposes
u 81 ahuse 81 tAe white flag are aiso
Fru. A. % tho latter TIE report aavss
here a. im uuf opinion. sufficient stf-
no that tiese ofeuses have ben fro
ErIt. Deliberate nud in many essas
uuIttrd ~ uhoie UNITS undrf ar-
r. At tie fsfts mentioned are fn
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