The Topeka state journal., 1918-10-24
Wilful Destruction Discussed
by the French.
Ask That Victory Bring Pun
ishment for Acts.
ENGINEERS FIND THE MINES
Germans Destroyed Ever,
House in One Village.
Despite Peoples Pleas, the
Torch Was Applied.

Paris, Oct. 24.-The question of the
devastation wrought by the Germans
in northern France was the topic of a
discussion in parliament. In the
senate Antonin Dubost, president,
asked that victory should give all its
might to chastisement OF the offender
and reparation for the crime.
THE enemy Will be condemned to
Festitutions for which we will take
guarantees, not being able to rely
upon his word" said Stephen Pinchon.
end of sacrifices imposed by savage
aggression for which its authors try
TO escape responsibility. Their ca1cu-
lations have been upset by President
Wilson"
WilIful Devastation.
With the French Army in Cham
pagne. OCT, 23.-Detachments of engi-
neers from General Gouraud's army,
in exploring the region from which
the Germans have been driven in this
lagos evidences by which the destruc-
tion of dwellings, churches and other
public buildings was organized.
The region along the Retourne
abounds with indications of wilful de-
vastation of villages that were never
within range of artillery but were
found razed to the ground. In others
where houses were still erect, they
were mined for slow destruction while
the purely military installations such
as barracks built by the Germans for
their own troops were left intact. Ord
srs for the burning of Juniville, a
large village in the valley of the Re-
tourne arrived on the day of evacua-
tion. The Germans had built COM
Portable quarters with casinos, officers
clubs, moving picture theaters, hotels
and rest houses for the soldiers in the
nj he nfa t4ffh
officers to spare their homes but the
torch was put to every house.
The village was one vast brazier
when the French entered it. Mont
st. Remy shared the same fate.
Chatetet. Alincourt, Bignicourt, and
Vile Sur Retourne were partially
saved because the French troops
pressed the Germans there so closely
that the sappers left behind to do the
work were surprised. Some of these
men fled before they could set off the
mines which had been prepared.
Others were captured.
Explore Every Cellar.
It has been necessary for French
sappers and miners to explore the cell
lar of every house remaining intact in
this region. Under most of them mines
have been found. Mouths of wells
were SO mined that explosions would
filf them with rock and earth, At
beiled to indicate the class of destruc-
tion for which they were prepared.
These mines were provided with glass
tubes containing a corrosive liquid to
eat away the wire connection with the
mine and cause its explosion with a
lapse of time indicated on each tube.
Some were marked for an hour others
for two, twelve and tWenty-four hours
Some were marked for as high as ~
hours
Shells the Cities.
With tho Allied Armies in France
and Belgium, Oct. 24.-The enemy
continues to shell all the larger towns
within range, notwithstanding the fact
there are thousands of civilians in
them. In addition to Denain, where
there are several thousand persons,
mostly women and children, the Ger
mans have been continuously Smelling
LIE Cateau, in which there are many
more civilians.
He shows no signs of ceasing his
orgies OF looting. Every town the Brit
ish have captured has been piIlaged.
Usually the Nuns break up and de-
stroy whatever they are unable to
carry off