The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-05-16

envy Set He Foot-Facts Gathered
by italian Committee surpass Any
thing Hitherto Believed Possible
Exceeds In Atrocity Destruction
Suffered by France and Belgium.
Especial to the ItaIian-American News
Bureau. Chicago.)
The committee appointed to inves-
dgate the violations of right perpe-
trated In Italy. and the lnhuman
treatment Of prisoners Of war has
made Its first report.
The material to be considered Is
vast, and the preliminaries disclose
the enormous damage done by the
enemy wherever he set foot In this
country. The losses due to airplane
bombing and bombardment along the
coast, already gathered by the mill
tary governors and placed on file.
and Of the nonmilitary buildings de-
stroyed or damaged are receiving first
attention.
The public has received fragmen-
tary news Of what was done. The
reality surpasses anything hitherto be-
lieved possible. 1t is the result Of
a systematic system Of cruelty and
oppression intended to intimidate or
massacre the inhabitants.
At the same time steps were being
taken to get all data about the loss
Of shipping due to submarine war
fare. 1t Is estimated already that
the Italian merchant navy has lost
100000 tons Of shipping. both of sail
Ing and steam vessels.
Heavy Loss In Vessels.
The value of the cargoes sunk Is
huge, and includes Italian shipments
by foreign as well as by Italian YES
sells. A rough estimate places 1t at
q billion lire. The responsibility Of
Germany has been established clearly,
especially when 1t comes to shipping
belonging to neutrals or allied coun-
tries, carrying Italian cargoes, and
frequently also the Italian ships,
whenever the submarines did not
show their colors before attacking.
The devastation of the invaded
parts of Italy exceeds perhaps in
atrocity and intensity the analogous
destruction suffered by Belgium and
French departments. For this cir
cumstance which must be set forth
in strong relief there were several
causes: The density of the most ac'
tive industrial life; the highly devel-
Oped intensive agriculture. and the
raising of every kind of domestic ami
NAL on a large scale.
In an area smaller than One-fifteenth
Of Belgium, there was laborious and
moderately wealthy people, about one
sixth of that Of the whole of Belgium.
Workshops gave employment and
wealth to every village. Villas and
stately palaces with priceless collec-
tons Of art and important libraries
graced the countryside and cities.
At the beginning Of the invasion,
the German soldiery wanted the first
fruits Of pillage, and, from the tes
timony gathered, the other troops were
prevented from giving way to ex-
cess In order to let the German lead
ers and soldiers have the first pick
Of what was worth carrying off. Thus,
when the Germans left Italy, the Aus
TRANS followed in their footsteps and
redoubled their acts of oppression
and barbarity to give vent to their
insensate and often deluded rapacity.
The depredations fell on the poor
as well as the wealthy. Articles of
even the slightest value we're the OBJ
jects of their cupidity. No house es-
capped the iron hand Of the invader.
All household linen was carried Off
without pity. Sheets and mattresses
were torn from the sick and bed.
ridden. and every sign of resistance
was met with inhuman cruelty.
The victuals, even in the poorest
houses. were carried Off, even to the
tables around which the families gath
cred to eat their miserable food.
Food Carried From Tableo.
In the country besides the damage
done to every crop. a complete dew
astation was wrought cutting down
vines and fruit trees puiely from wan
ton savagery, or for the firewood the
enemy needed. Thus one of the
sources of agricultural wealth for
centuries was destroyed.
All metals, as has been related,
were the special objects Of cupidity
and were taken without the least pre-
text Of legality. The number of bells
taken from the churches is estimated
at 1900. 1t gives an idea of the
extent and thoroughness Of the pill |
lage committed in private houses and !
public buildings.
The sanctity of sacred places was
not respected In almost all the |
churches religious paraphernalia were
stolen with sacred vestments and ar
ticles used in worship, often OF great
est historic or artistic value.
Sees Son on Screen.
soI'hnra ha fc. thara'c Iolu ~ chouf. |