The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-24

authority and are therefore ohargeabte
10 the government and cannot be ex-
cused or minimized as the lAwlesE acts
| of individual rufflans In uniform.
! First and foremost stands the viola
ton Of the neutrality OF Belgium which
Prussia and the other great powers
of Europe had solemnly guaranteed
! by treaty in 1881 and 1899, This was
T. twofold violation OF international
/ law; not only did IL violate those ar
/ ticles of the Hague code before quoted
relating TO the rights and duties of
neutrsls. but II broke the plighted
faith OF tho nation given in the most
solemn form. fn'this instance we have
TO need Of proof or argument, The
plea Of guilty has already been en-
tered and 1t only needs now to pro-
nounee sentence. Bethmanh Hollweg
the German chancellor, said IN a
speech 10 the reichstag, August 4,
1914: our troops have occupied Lux
ernburg and perhaps have already en-
tersd Belgian territory. Gentlemen.
this ia q breach OF International law
IN view OF the known facts Il can not
bs said that this was an improvident
admission. A burglar in possession OF
the stolen property has small chance
OF conyinciny any one OF HIS innocence.
Second, the omhardment by ships.
zeppelins. ana aeroplanes of unforti-
ned and undefsnded towns and even
of hospitslB. The proof these acts
comes with almost every newspaper
and the siok sning details OF the
slaughter OF babes and women at night
by bombs from the skies have become
so frequent that we have become al
most callous 20 them Reference to
those articles OF the Hague rules al
ready quoted relating to the lombard
ment of undefcnded places showJ at
once what gross violations of inter
national law these acts are; Comment
upon them seems unnecessary.
Poisonous Gases.
Third, the employment Of poison
Gus ga&e@ and liquid fTsg I'm direct
violation of those articles of fhe Hague
rules which prohibit tho use OF poison
or material calculated to produce un-
necessary suffering. Poison has aver
been the weapon OF towards, torture
ths fSvortts device Of despotic power.
Fourth, the ievying OF vast fnes
and penalties upon cities. towns and
viiis ges. consisting in some cases Of
money fines OF millions Of dollars, and
in othsr instances of the destruction by
fre OF whole cities and villages, or as
ia the case of Loavatn. of the most
priceless part thereof all in pretended
punishment for the acts OF irresponsi-
hla individuals, in clear violation OF Ar
ticle 80 OF that chapter OF the Hague
rfiea relating 70 land warfare. This
10 not to be understood as referring 10
the enormous war contributions which
hsvs been levied upon Belgium as
whole and upon occupied cities and
towns in both Belgium and France for
tina support OF the German army. II
In very difficult 10 ascertain the amount
OF these latter contributions though
they amount to many millions OF dol
lare wrung from s. ruined people.
These, however, may receive some Jus
tiffcatfon In Articles &s and a. of the
Fchapter above named which authorize
the levy OF money contributions in oc-
oupied territories SUFFICIENT for the sup
I port of the army and the administra-
ton OF the tsrritoryi therefore I leave
them out, But refer to the fines and
baTbarous puuishments by way OF Are
4 and destruction which have been Inn
posed upon communities on account of
the acts Of individuals. IA exam pies
! Of such puniShmenss may hA cfted the
lsvy of 5000. 600 francs upon Brussels
for the Individual act Of o police con-
stabla; the levy OF boo.0 600 francs on
the @arne city becauca OF a murder
committed by an unknown person in
a suburb OF the city: tho isvy OF the
sams sum on tho atty of lille because
SONS inhabitants made demonstrations
of sympathy for some French prisoners
being escorted through the streets:
and the levy OF 100, 900 francs on the
little town OF ARROW for the cutting OF
a telephone wirE by ar unknown per-
son. The list of we'll authenticated
cases where such enormous fines have
been exacteo for the triffing and even
ridiculous offences by individuals Ia
very great and seems 10 prove a. dell
eerate intention to extract great sums
Of money from innocent people on
the most finsy prstexts.
Fifth. the removal of~>mflitons of
dollars worth of factory machinery.
metals and supplies from Belgium to
Germany in violation OF Article 40 OF
the last-named chapter OF the Hague
code which declares that private prop
srty must be respected and can not be
con1scated.
Belgian Deportassons
Sixth. the taking prisoner az a
quarter OF a million of civilians both
men and women and Transporting
them from Belgium and France 10
Germany and compelling them TO
work in factories ana in labor
camps some near the front and some
elsewhere, but all doing work OF direct
or Indirect military value. Concern
ing this deportation the American r,in
lister. Mr.. Brand Whitlock. officially re-
ported 70 the SECRETARY of state in
January, 1917. as follows: The rage.
the terror and DESPAIR excited by the
measure all ever Belgium was beyond
anything we had witnessed since the
day the Germans poured into Brussels
am constantly in receipt OF
reports from sill over Belgium that
tend to bear out the stories OF brutality
and cruelty. In tearing away from
nearly every humble home In the land
n husband and father, or "A son and a
brother. they (the Germans} have
lighted 8 fire OF hatred that will never
go out (ft is) one Of those
deeds that make one despair OF the
future OF the human race: a deed cold
lily planned. studiously matured. and
deliberately and systematically exe-
cuted q deed SO cruel that German
soldiers are said to have went in it's
execution, and so monstrous that even
German officers are now said to be
ashamed
I Seventh, the wholesale sinking of
neutral freight and passenger ships on
the high seass without warning, visit.
or search. and regardless OF the cues
ton Of whether they are carrying CON
traband sof war or not
Eighth, the cold -blooGeS Yr1p~aar