Albuquerque morning journal., 1915-06-02
CLAIM RUSSIANS
COMM|TTEDMANY
ATR0C|0US ACTS
Count Won BernStortf Gives
Out Memorial Record
Compiled by Germans Re-
garding Their Enemies
~ ao.a,.a ,ours.. ut,ql.l l,.sro wl.si


Washington, May 3l.--The German
omhassador, Count Won Bernstorff,
,oday gave out for publication the
.,nemorial record" and accompanying
affidavits. issued by the German gov
eminent as "A White book Of March
9b last relating TO atrocities COM
mitted by Russian troops on German
eiyilian% and German prisoners OF
war" The ambassador also an
nottncedl that copies of the document
md been delivered to all the neutral
Governments, including the govern
ment OF the United States, and that
nfher comics would be open 20 inspec-
zion at the German consulntes OF
New York, Chicago. Philadelphia and
San Francisco.
The memorial record" summarizes
Tho acts set forth in the eighty affi-
davits attached as exhibits, each ac-
rnsation being accompanied by a ref
erence to the numbered affidavit CIV
inc details OF the charge. The me
mortal record" says:
The RUSSIAN troops have commit
ted atrocities during the present war,
which are Incompatible with the laws
of humanity and the customs Of civil
ized nations, and which evidence the
utter barbarism OF their warfare,
these atrocities were directed against
the peaceful inhabitants of the occu-
MED German territory, as well as
against those German soldiers, who
opnosed them in lawful combat and
who had the misfortune of being TAX
en- prisoner by them.
"The adjoining documentary mater
ial shows that these are not Isolated
eases of cruelty and deeds of violence,
for atrocities of the most bestial sort
have been committed in so many
places and by so MANY different dl-
vlsions of troops that undoubtedly a
very great part Of the Russian army IS
permeatcd BY spirit OF inhuman
sayagery. A large number of cases
is already well known, hut in the sup
Elements only such cases will be found
ms have been incontrovertibly estab-
lished by official testimony, particu-
larly testimony on oath, or by Off
oial report. These cases must, how
ever. be regarded as being only Sc
lection of the innumerable atrocities
actually committed. ~
Barbaric Methods Charged.
"The whole world knows that, ow-
ing to the barbaric methods of war
fare employed by the Russians, East
Prussia once a florishing country, In
parts now presents a picture OF hope
less devastation, and that the peaceful
inhabitants were forced 70 flee ana
leave all their belongings in order TO
save themselves from assault ana muir
der IT has been officially ascertain
ed that at the time of the first as
= 4. n1 inv eli nf In at
Prussia by the Russians, thousands of
men. women and children were car
ried off. : thousands were murdered,
about 10000 buildings were demol-
ished on burned down. and that during
the second invasion alone, about So
00O homes were plundered and de-
stroyed. The last Russian expedition
against Memel likewise was nothing
moer than a savage raid. accompanied
by atrocities of every description. The
denOsitfons contained In the supple
ments give an eloquent but ghastly
proof of the acts Of violence ana
cruelty. which Individual inhabitants
suffered at the hands Of the Russians
''The movable goods of the poor
as well as OF the wealthy were stolen
looted, or wantonly destroyed by the
promissory certificates. Men and
women had to give the covetous sol
diers their last coppers. The dwell
ings were searched often by one d.
vision of troops after the other, each
soldier taking whatever. took his ran
cy. Finally, homes, farm buildings
and provisions were, without reason
or purpose, destroyed by fire. the
population. including women and chill
dren, were ill-treated on empty pre-
texts or without any reason whatso-
ever, although they did everything 20
satisfy the desires of the Russian SOL
diers as TO lodgings and food This
ill-treatment was partially character
lied by exquisite cruelty; for instance,
the male population of an entire com
munity, the judge not excepted. were
beaten with whips and threatened