The citizen., 1918-02-28
huns" SCORNED
LAW OF NATIONS
Use Of Civilians as Hostages and
for Screens Part Of
DeviIish System.
FIRST MADE USE OF IN 1870
Al That Time II Was Condemned by
the Civilized World, but the Ger.
man Military Leaders Have
Never Abandoned II.

ample proof that The march Of The
German armies through Belgium
uas marked by maSSdcres 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 massacrcs In Belgium and
northern France were part Of the
German system ~ frlghtfulness. An
other feature of this system was the
use Of civilians ns hostages and for
screens.
In discussing the use Of hostages the
German War Book (Kriegsbrauch i'm
Landkrlege) 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 It's army. Their
provision has been less usual I'm re-
cent wars. as 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 right
was practlced by the German staff in
the war Of 1870. when II compelled
leading citizens from French towns
and villages 10 accompany trains and
locomotives In order 10 protect the
railway communications which were
threatened by the people. Since the
lives Of pcaceable inhabitants were.
without any fault on their part. there
by exposed 90 grave danger. every
writer outside Germany has stigma
tlzed this measure as contrary to the
law OF nations and as unjustified to-
wards the inhabitants Of the country"
clunp TO Friohtfulness.
Although their deeds In the Franco
Prussinn war had been universally
condemned. as they themselves admit
ted. the leaders did not intend 10
abandon such n useful measure OF
frlghtfulness. In LInterprete Mill
taire 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 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 arbitr1riness and
cruelty Is furnished by the proclama-
tion OF Major Dieckmnnn. from which
the following sections are presented:
"After o n. m. on the 7th Septem-
Der. viii permit the houses I'm Beyne-
Heusay, Grivegnee, and Bols-de-Breux
20 be Inhabited by the persons who
lived IN them formerly as long as
these persons are not forbidden TO fire.
quent these localities by official pro
hIbltlon.
Prominent People Hostages.
"In order 60 be sure that the above
mentioned permit will not he abused
the burgomasters Of Bcyne-Heusay and
OF GHvognee must Immediately pre-
pare lists of prominent persons who
viii be held ms hostages for - hours
each M Fort Fleron. September G.
1914, for the first time (thc period OF
detention shall bel from @ p. m. until
September ot midday.
"Tho life OF these hostages depends
on the population OF the abovc-men-
toned. communes remaining quiet un-
der an circumstances.
"During the night n Is severely for
hidden 90 show any luminous signals
Bicycles are permitted only between
a. M. and r. m. German tlme).
"From the list which Is submitted 10
me I shall designate prominent per
sons who shall he hostages from noon
Of one day until the following midday
II the substitute ls not there I'm due
tlmc. the hostage must remain anoth-
or - hours at the fort. After these
- hours the hostage win incur the
penalty of death, n the substitute fails
to appear.
"Pnests, bu-eomasters, and the 9th
er mqmhers Of the council are 10 be
taken first as hostages.
81 Insist that an civilians who move
about in my district show
their respect 20 the German officers by
taking OF their hats, or lifting their /
hands 10 their heads IN military salute. /
In case of doubt, every German sol /
der must be saluted. Anyone who .
does not do this must expect the Ger
man military 10 make themselves re.
spected by every means"
Hold Small Nations Have No Rights
"rhe fate that Belgium has called
down upon herself Is hard for the in
but not too hard for this po-
lltical structure (Staatsgebllde), for
the destlnles of the immortal great ma.
tions stand so high that they cannot
but have the right, In case of need, 10
stride over existence that cannot de-
fend themselves. but live, as parasites,
upon the ryalrles Of the great."-Prof.
II. oncken, In Suddeutsche Monatsheft,
(SOuth German MOnthly)
Would they have dared 70 defend
such a policy II they could have seen
the announcement sent out by the par.
Ish Of 81. IIadelin with Its silent elo-
auencef