The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-02-08
HUNS" SCORNED
Law OF NATIONS
Use of Civilians as Hostages and
for Screens Part OF
DeviIish System.
FIRST MADE USE OF IN 1870

At That Time 1t Was Condemned by
the Civilized World, but the Ger
man Military Leaders Have
Never Abandoned 1t.
Ample proof that the march Of the
German armies through Belgium
sras marked by naassacres and cru
elites almost beyond belief is giuen
in a document made public by the
committee on public information,
from which the following IS taken:
The massacres in Belgium and
northern France were part of the
German system of frightfulness. An
other feature of this system was the
use of civilians as hostages and for
screens.
In discussing the use of hostages the
German War Book (Kriegsbrauch i'm
Landkriege) says:
''By hostages are understood those
persons who, as security Or bail for
the fulfillment of treaties, promises, or
other claims, are taken or detained by
the opposing state or its army. Their
provision has been less usual in re-
cent wars, as a result of which some
professors of the law of nations have
wrongly decided that the taking Of
hostages has disappeared from the
practice Of civilized nations.
"a new application of hostage II, It
was practiced by the German staff in
the war of 1870, when 1t compelled
leading citizens from French towns
and villages to accompany trains and
locomotives in order to protect the
railway communications which We're
threatened by the people. Since the
lives Of peaceable inhabitants were
without any fault on their part, there
by exposed to grave danger, every
writer outside Germany has stigma
tized this measure as contrary to the
law of nations and as unjustifed to-
wards the inhabitants of the country
Chung to Frightfulness.
Although their deeds in the Franco
Prussian war had been universally
condemned, as they themselves admit
ted, the leaders did not intend t
abandon such a useful measure OF
frightfulness. In L'Interprete Mill
iuiIe the forms were provided for such
acts in the next war. Both in Belgium
and in France the Germans have con
stantly used hostages. The evidence
is contained in the proclamatiOns 81
the governing authorities and also il
the diaries Of the German soldiers. A
few examples from these will illus
trate the system which was employed
A specimen of the arbitrariness an6
cruelty is furnished by the prOclama
ton Of Major Dieckmann, from which
the following sections are presented
"After 9 a. m. on the 7th Septem
Der, will permit the houses in Beyne
Heusay, Grivegnee, and Bois-de-Breu1
lived in them formerly, as long a:
these persons are not forbidden to fire.
quent these localities by official pro
) hibition.
Prominent People Hostages.
Gin order to be sure that the above
mentioned permit will not be abused
| the burgomasters of Beyne-Heusay ant
Of Grivegnee must Immediately pre-
pare lists Of prominent persons wh'
; will be held as hostages for "a hour
: each at Fort Fleron. September 6
1914, for the first time (the period O
detention shall be) from p. m. unit
3 September z at midday.
2 1.-THE life Of these hostages depend
7 on the population of the above-men
: toned communes remaining quiet un
2 der all circumstances.
During the night it is severely for
: hidden to show any luminous signals
. Bicycles are permitted only between
: a. m. and p. m. German tfme).
e "From the list which is submitted t
e me I shall designate prominent pei
sons who shall be hostages from moo
Of one day until the following midday
If the substitute is not there in du
time, the hostage must remain anotf
d er "a hours at the fort. After thes
t "a hours the hostage will incur tn
e penalty Of death, if the substitute fail
q to appear.
l. PRIESTS, burgomasters, and the ot1
q er members of the council are to b
d taken first as hostages.
It II insist that all civilians who NOV
s about in my district shov
d their respect to the German officers b
l. taking off their hats, or lifting thei
:. hands to their heads in military salut,
l. In case of doubt, every German so
l. der must be saluted Anyone VIII
: does not do this must expect the Ge1
d man military to make themselves r,
f spected by every means"
f 'The fate that Belgium has Gale
= down upon herself is hard for the il
h dividual, but not too hard for this %,
d litical structure (Staatsgebilde), fe
Y the destinies of the immortal great n: