The daily Alaskan., 1918-02-04
''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 It Was Condemned by the Civilized World, but the Ger man Military Leaders Have
 Never Abandoned 1t.

Ample proof that the march ot the German armies through Belgium was marked by mG$SacreS and cru elites almost beyond belief IS giOeH in q document made public by the committee On public infOrmation, from which tke following IS taken:
 The massacres in Belgium and northern France were q 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 TOT the fulfllment of treaties, promises, or other claims, are taken or detained by the opposing state or its army. Their l 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 1 hostages has disappeared from the practice of civilized nations.
 "A new application of hostage right was practiCed by the German staff in the war of 1870. when it compelled leading citizens from French towns and villages to accompany trains and | locomotives in order to protect the l railway communications which were threatened by the people. Since the lives of peaccable inhabitants were, without any fault on their part, there 1 by exposed to grave danger. every writer outside Germany has stigma tized this measure as contrary to the law of nations and as unjuStitied to- | wards the inhabitants of the country
 cIung to Frightfulness.
 Although their deeds in the Franco PrusSian war had been universally condemned, as they themselves admit ted. the leaders did not intend to abandon such a useful measure of | frightfulneSS. In LIntcrprete Mill tnire the forms were provided for such acts in the next war. Both in Belgium l and in France the Germans have con- stantly used hostages. The evidence Is contained in the prOclamations of the governing authorities and also in the diaries of the German soldiers. A ! few examples from these will illus trate the system which was employed. A specimen of the arbitrUriness and ! 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-Breux to be inhabited byo the persons who lived in them formerly, as long as these persons are not forbidden to fire Guent these localities by official pro- | hibition.
 Prominent People Hostages.
 "In order to be sure that the above mentioned permit will not he abused, the burgomasterS of Beyne-Heusay and ! of Grivegnee must immediately pre- pare lists of prominent persons who will be held as hostages for 24 hours each at Fort FlerOn. September 6, 1914. for the first time (the period of detention shall bel from p. III. until September : at midday.
 ''The life of these hostages depends l nF phNUn-npn- toned communes remaining quiet un- l der all circumstances.
 ."During the night 1t Is severely for bidden to show any luminous signals Bicycles are permitted only between q. m. and 3 D. m. German time).
 "FrOm the list which Is submitted to me I shall designate prominent per sons who shall be hostages from noon of one day until the following midday. If the substitute is not there in due time. the hostage must remain anoth- CT 24 hours at the fort After these 24 hours the hostage will incur the penalty of death, if the substitute fails to appear.
 Priests, burgOmasters, and the oth- CT members of the council are to be taken first as hostages
 "I insist that all civilians who move about in my district show their respect to the German officers by | taking off their hats, or lifting their | hands to their heads in military salute. Tn case of doubt, every German sol dier must be saluted. Anyone who does not do this must expect the Ger man military to make themselves re- spected by every means"
 Hold Small Nations Have No Rishta-
 "The fate that Belgium has called town upon herself Is hard for the in- | divdual, but not too hard for this po- Htical structure (Staatsgebilde) fer The destinies of the immortal great na- hons stand so high that they cannot but have the right. in case of need, to stride over existence that cannot de