The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-05-18

ington, and now chairman of a spec
ial government committee appointed
To- investigate and report on "out
RACES alleged to ave been commltted
by German troops during the present
war" has submitted the report of the
committee to Premier Asquith.
The document is considered as
PROBABLY the most severe arrangement
thus far made of the German military
sweep across Belgium, mainly De-
cause of the position OF NlscOunt
Bryce as a historian, and ais a
Of the care with which the inveStl-
CATION was made, the greatest num-
Der of witnesses whose testimony was
examined. and the mass Of evidence
now submitted with the report OF the
committee.
Associated with Lord Bryce On the
committee were Sir Frederick Pollock,
Sir Edward Clarke. Sir Alfred Hop
kinson. II. A. /. Fisher, ~vice-chancel-
Tor Of the University of Sheffield,
Harold Cox. and kenelm +. Dlgby.
The committee was appointed by
PRIMER AsQuith OIL January %. last.
and was given broad instructions to
investigate alleged outrageS, the NAL
treatment Of civilians, and breaches
of law and established usages of war
The most important findings of the
committee are summed up in the fol-
lowing conclusion at the close of the
report:
at will be seen hat the committee
ave come to a definite conclusion
upon each of the heads under which
the evidence has been classified:
1T is proved:
First: That there were in many
parts of Belgium deliberate n sys-
tematically organized maSSacreS Of
the civil population, accompanied by
man, isolated murders n other out
RACES.
Second: That in the Onduc Of
the wal generally, innocent civilians,
both mel. and women, were murder
ed in large numbers. women violated,
and children murdered.
Third: That looting. house burn
ing, and h wanton destruction of
property were ordered and counte-
nanced by the officers of the German
army. that elaborate provision had
been made for systematic in%cendiar-
ism at the very outbreak of the war
and that the burning and destruction
were frequently where no military ne
cessity could be alleged, being indeed
part Of a system of general terriori
Zation.
Fourth: That the rules an6
usages of wal were frequently broken
particularly by the using Of civilians
including women and children, as {
shield for advancing forces exposed t,
fire. to a less degree by killing tn
wounded and prisoners. and in tn
frequent abuse of the Red Cross am
the White Flag.
Fully Established BY Evidence.
Sensible as they are Of the gravit,
of these conclusions. the committe
conceive that they would be doin
less h their duty if they failed t
record them as fully established b
the evidence. Murder, lust n pill
age prevailed owe many parts Of Bel
GUM on a scale unparalleled in an
war between civilized nations durin
the a three centuries.
Our function is ended when W
have stated what the evidence eStat
fishes, but we may be permitted to e1
press our belief that these disclosure
will not nave been made in vain
they touch and rouse the conscience {
mankind, and we venture to hope ths
as Don as the present war is owe
the nations of the world, in council
will consider what means can be PR
vided and sanctions devised to prevel
the recurrence of such horrors as o,
generation is now witnessing"
The report makes an official docl
ment of sixty-one printed pages,
upward of 10000 words, accomp:
MED by maps. showing the vario,
routes of the army and the Chi
scenes of desolation. 1t states at I'll
outset that 1900 witnesses have be-
examined. the dispositions being talk
by examiners of legal knowledge al
experience, though without authori
to administer an oath. The exam
ners were instructed not to lead" Il
witnesses. and to seek to bring out Il
truth by cross-examination and othe
wise. The committee also submit e
tracts from a number Of diaries tax,
from the German dead, chiefly Ge
man soldiers, and in some cases of
GERS.
Truths Beyond Question.
we began the inquiry with dout
whether q positive result would be o
tained," says the report. But t
further we went and the more e.
dence we examined so much the mo
was our skepticism reduced. The
might be some ~exaggeration in o