New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-26
France Protests
Against German
Devastation
Note to Neutrals Charges
Unjustihable Acts in
Evacuated Territory
Banks Are Pillaged
Warning Given That Stolen
Securities May Not
Be Redeemed

PARIS. March 25 The French gov
eminent charged It's representatives IN
all neutral countries 10 protest against
acts OF barbarism and devastation 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 is
now gathering the elements Of protest
which It intends sending 20 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 ask you TO make
known TO the government TO which you
are accredited that we intend to de-
nounce before universal judgment the
uniustifable acts INDUCED in by the
German authorities. No motive de-
manded by military necessities can JUS
tify the systematic devastation Of pub
lie monuments, artistic and historical,
as we'll as public property, accompanied
by violence against persons; cities and
villages in their entirety have been Pill
LACED. burned and destroyed; private
home stripped of all furniture, which
the enemy has carried off; fruit trees
have been torn up or rendered useless
for future production; streams and
wells have been poisoned.
Relief Supplies Seized
"Tbe inhabitants, relatively few in
number, who have not been removed
have been left with minimum Of ra-
tons. while the enemy seized stocks
supplied by the neutral revictualling
commission which were destined for
the civil population.
you will point out that this concerns
not acts destined to hinder the opera
tions OF our armies but OF devastation
having no connection with this object
and having for its purpose the ruin Tor
years to come Of one of the most fer
tile regions of France.
"The civilized world can only revolt
against this conduct on the part OF
nation which wanted 70 impose It's cult
ure on it, but which reveals itself once
again as quite close TO barbsusm stlil'
and in a rage of disappointed ambition
tramples on the most sacred rights OF
humanity"
In addition 70 the above, the repre-
scntatives of the French government IN
foreign countries have received the fol-
lowing instructions requesting them TO
protest against the pillaging Of safes
and the theft Of stocks by German
troops:
According 10 evidence in the posses
sion of the military authorities in the
region taken from the enemy, notably
at Peronne, where a branch of the Bank
of France was pillaged and the safes
broken in, much negotiable paper has
been stolen by the retreating German
troops.
Wrongs to Private Property
II would be obliged II you would call
70 the attention of the government 70
which you are accredited these wrongs
20 private property, against which the
government Of the republic makes the
most energetic protest. You will also
ask them 20 caution their banks and
their nationals againts all operations
concerning papers which might be un-
dertaken by German subjects, directly
or by Intermediates, without furnish
ing serious proof of their former own
ership."
Premier Ribot, who is also Foreign
Minister in the new French Cabinet,
concludes his instructions 20 the gov
ernment's representatives IN neutral
countries by saying that France, as
well as its allies, will not in fact rec
ognise as valid and effected in good
faith operations concerning negotiable
paper which the Germans seized in VIC
intion of the Hague Convention.