Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-03-26
FRENCH JOYFUL AT RELEASE
e. FROM RULE OF THE GERMANS
Paris Protests to the World Against Wanton
Destruction of Property and OUT
RACES on the People,

| tude of this work of destruction may
| be imagined from the pains taken to
destroy the castle at Ham. The cost
| for the explosives alone is estimated
at $4,000 francs.
In Ham there were found a considera-
BILE number of cases Of munitions.
which is taken as an indication that
tho Germans were being hard pressed
there.
France Protests to Neutra1s.
PARIS, March 2S.-The French gov
eminent has charged it's representatives
in all neutral countries to protest
against acts Of barba rtsm and devas
tation on the part of the Germans" in
territory evacuated by them in northern
France. The full text of the note, which
is signed by Premier Ribot, follows:
The government of the republic now
is gathering the elements of protest
which it intends sending to neutral
governments against acts of barbarism
and devastation committed by the Ger
mans in French territory, which they
are evacuating while retreating.
AT this time l ask you to make
known TO the government to which you
are accredited that we intend to de-
nounce before universal judgment the
unqualif1able acts INDUCED in by the
German authorities. No motive de-
manded by military necessities can
justify the systematic devastation of
public monuments. artistic and his
torical, as well public property, &C
companied by violence against persons;
cities and viliag es in their entirety have
been pillag ed, burned and destroyed,
private homes stripped of all furniture.
which the enemy has carried off; fruit
trees have been torn up or rendered
useless for future production; streams
aud wells have been poisoned. The in
habitants. relatively few in number
who have not been removed. have been
left with minimum OF rations. while
the enemy seized stocks supplied by tAe
neutral revictualing commission that
Were destined for the civil population.
You will point out that this con-
Germs not acts destined to hinder the
operations of our armies. but of devas-
tation having no connection with this
object and having for its purpose the
ruin for years to come of one of the
most fertile regions of France.
Close to Barbarism Still.
The civilized world can only revolt
against this conduct on the part of a
ration which wanted TO impose its
culture on it, but which reveals itself
once again quite close to barbarism
still. and in rage of disappointed
ambition. tramples on the most sacred
right of huma nifty
In addition to the foregoing note the
representatives of the French govern
ment in foreign countries have receiv-
ed the following instructions request
ing them to protest against the pi1lag
ing of safes and the theft of stocks by
German troops:
According to evidence in the posses
sion of the military authorities in the
region taken from the enemy, notably
at Peronne. where branch of the Bank
of France was pillaged and the safes
broken into, much negotiable paper has
been stolen by the retreating German
troops. I would be obliged if YOU
would cali to the attention of the gov
eminent to which You are accedited
these wrongs to private property,
against which the government of the
republic makes the most energetic pro-
test. You will also ask them to eau
ton their banks and their nationals
against all operations concerning pa
pers which might be undertaken by
German subjects. directly or by inter-
mediaries. without furnishing serious
proof of their former ownership"
Premier Ribot, who also is foreign
minister in the new French cabinet,
concludes his instructions to the gov
ernments representatives in neutral
countries by saying that France as
well as its allies will not in fact recog
nize as valid and effected in good faith
operations concerning negotiable pa
pers that the Germans seized in viola
ton of The Hague convention.