Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-10
Especial Dispatch From Mil on Bron-
ner, of Our Washington Bureau.)


ner, Of Our Washington Bureau.)
Washington, Dec. g.--Brand Whit
lock, American minister to Belgium, is
on officia. record charging the Ger
mans with the crimes of massaering
civilians, using non-combatant natives
as shields for their advancing troops,
and depor;ing thousands upon thou
sands of Belgians into virtual slavery
In Germany.
His reports to that effect, made
while he was still at Brussels, are on
file in the archives of the state de-
partment. They add the last testl-
mony--if proof were needed--that all
of the atrocities charged up to tho
Huns are based upon hideous facts
and not merely upon the inflamed
Imagination of hostile populations.
Whitlock in his capacity as a diplo-
mat of power, still at that time at
peace with Germany, reported facts
to his superior officers. They did not
want propaganda stories either for or
against anyone. Washington wanted
W hHoN Nudt was BOlilb Oll III Dei~
gium.
Whitlock reported the news with
as much accuracy as it was possible
for him to get it. And he got it first
hand because the American legation
was the clearing house through which
the victims of the Huns passed.
For a long time Whitlock's reports
have been locked up. Now they are
released, forming part of a 94-page
book on German War Practices is
sued by George Creels committee on
public information. and edited by
Prof. ID. c., Munro of Princeton uni
versity.
Whitfock's first dispatches regard
ing the cruetles of the Germans were
sent in 1914 when the kaiser's legions
were spreading death and terror be-
fore them:
Story OF Massacre.
Summary executions took place at
Dinant' he wrote, without the least
semblance of judgment. The names
and number of the victims are not
known, but they must be numerous.
Among the persons who were shot
are: NJ. Defoin, mayor of Dinant;
Sasserath, first alderman; Nimmer.
aged 10, consul for the Argentine re-
public Victor Ponceet, who was
executed in the presence of his wife
and seven children; Gustave and Leon
Nicaise, two very old men.
Jules Monin and others we're shot
in the cellar of their brewery; Camille
Pisette and his son, aged II; Philli-
part Piedfort his wife and daughter,
Miss Marsigny.
During the execution or about
forty inhabitants of Dinant, the Ger
mans placed before the condemned
their wives and children. 1t is thus
that Madame Ain. who had just given
birth to a child three days previously,
was brought on q mattress by Ger
man soldiers to witness the execution
of her husband; her cries and suppl
cations were SO pressing that her
husbands life was spared
Women and Children Present.
"On the 26th day of August Ger
man soldiers entered various streets
of Louvain and ordered the inhabi-
tants of the houses to proceed to the
Place de la Station, where the bodies
Of nearly a dozen assassinated per-
sons were lying.
Women and children had to wit
ness the execution of many of their
fellow citizens who were for the most
part shot at the side Of the square
The women and children, after having
remained on the square for more than
fifteen hours, were allowed to depart.
''Three gardes civiques Of Louvain
were taken prisoners and sent to Ger
many to the camp at Muenster, where
they were held for several weeks.
"One of the most sorels- tried com
munities was that Of the little village
Of Tamines down in what is known as