South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-03-26
FRENCH PROTEST
DEVASTATION
Raise Voice Against Barbarity
of Germans in Recently
Evacuated Territory.

PARIS, March 2s-The French
government has charged its repre-
sentatives in All neutral countries
10 protest against acts OF ba-bar-
ism and devastation on the part of
the Germans" in territory evacuat-
ed by them in northern France. The
note which is signed By Premier
RibOt. in part follows
At this time / ask YOU 20 make
known 20 the government 20 which
sou are accredited that we intend 10
denounce before universal judg-
ment the unqualihdble acts INDUCED
in by the German authorities No
motive demanded by military neces-
stiles can justly the systematic de-
vastatioE Of public monuments. ar
tistic and historical as well as pub
lie property. accompanied by viO-
lence against persons. cities and viii
lagos in their entirety have been
pi!laged. burned and destroyed: pri-
vate homes stripped Of all furni-
ture which the enemy has carried
on fruit trees have been torn up
or rendered useless for future pro-
ductiOn; streams and wells have
been poisoned. The inhabitants. rel
atively few in number. who have
not been removed have been left
with a minimum OF rations while the
enemy seized stocks supplied by the
neutral revictualIing commission
that we're destined for the civil pop
ulation.
Ruin Country.
n mill frrf aHrf no. IA
Germs acts destined TO hinder the
operations Of our armies, but of de-
VISITATION having no connection with
this object and having for its pur-
pose the ruin for years to come of
one of the most fertile regions Of
france.
The civilized world can only re.
volt against this conduct on the part
OF a nation which wanted 70 impose
its culture ON il. but which reveals
itself once again as quite close TO
barbarism still and, In a rage of dis
appointed ambition. tramples or the
most sacred right OF humanity"
In addition 20 the foregoing note,
the representatives of the rench
government in foreign countries
have received the following instruc-
lions requesting them to protest
against the pillaging of safes and the
theft OF stocks by German troops.
According TO evidence in the
possession of the military authOri-
ties in the region taken from the en-
envy notably at PerOnne where a
branch Of the Bank OF France was
pillaged and the safes broken into,
much negotiable paper has been
stolen 10y the retreating German
troops j would be obliged if YOU
would call TO the attention Of the
government 10 which YOU are ac-
credited these wrongs 10 private
property against which the govern
ment OF the republic makes the
most enerSetic protest. You Will
also ask them TO caution their banks
and their nationals against all uper-
atoms concerning papers which
might be undertaken by German
subjects. directly or by intermedi-
aries. without furnishing serious
proof of their former ownership"
Premier Ribot, who also is for
oign minister in the new French
cabinet. concludes his instructions to
the governments representatives in
neutral countries by saying that
France. as well as its allies, will
rot i'm fact recognize as valid and
effected in good faith, operations
concerning negotiable paper that
the Germans seized in violation of
The Hague convention
Tested Garden Seed in bulk.