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when we can see what happened in something like its true perspective. Indeed, the whole

question has been made the subject of rigorous examination by distinguished American historians, following the official investigations by Belgium, Germany, and the Bryce Commission. They have submitted all documents to scientific scrutiny and accepted only matter from German and American sources, and such other material as scrupulously scientific investigators would be justified in accepting. The results have been published in the studies edited by Professor Munro.*

That we may not be unjust in a matter which so easily arouses anger and detestation, let us confine ourselves entirely to records made by the Germans themselves. The German soldier is advised to keep a diary when on campaign and many of these diaries were captured. We may begin by quoting Joh. van der Schoot, reservist of the Tenth Company, 39th Reserve Infantry Regiment, Seventh Reserve Army Corps, who announces: "We lived like God in

*Cf. especially "German War Practices" and "German Treatment of Conquered Territory," on which we have drawn heavily. (Committee on Public Information.)

Belgium." Curiously enough he did not mean that they showed mercy or administered justice, as the following extracts will show:

"A horrible bath of blood. The whole village burnt, the French thrown into the blazing houses, civilians with the rest."-(From the diary of Private Hassemer, of the Eighth Army Corps.)

"In the night of August 18-19, the village of Saint-Maurice was punished for having fired on German soldiers by being burnt to the ground by the German troops (two regiments, the 12th Landwehr and the 17th). The village was surrounded, men posted about a yard from one another, so that no one could get out. Then the Uhlans set fire to it, house by house. Neither man, woman, nor child could escape; only the greater part of the live stock was carried off, as that could be used. Anyone who ventured to come out was shot down. All the inhabitants left in the village were burnt with the houses."-(From the diary of Private Karl Scheufele, of the Third Bavarian Regiment of Landwehr Infantry.)

"The inhabitants have fled in the village. It was horrible. There was clotted blood on all the beards, and what faces one saw, terrible to behold! The dead, sixty in all, were at once buried. Among them were many old women, some old men, and a half-delivered woman, awful to see; three children had clasped each

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British official photograph. Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.

British soldiers conducting Belgian refugees to a place of safety. "Germany had in that country instituted for a time at least a reign of terror.'

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other, and died thus. The altar and the vaults of the church are shattered. They had a telephone there to communicate with the enemy. This morning, September 2, all the survivors were expelled, and I saw four little boys carrying a cradle, with a baby five or six months old in it, on two sticks. All this was terrible to see. Shot after shot! Thunderbolt after thunderbolt! Everything is given over to pillage; fowls and the rest all killed. I saw a mother, too, with her two children; one had a great wound on the head and had lost an eye."-(From the diary of Lance-Corporal Paul Spielmann, of the Ersatz, First Brigade of Infantry of the Guard.)

"The pretty little village of Gue d'Ossus, however, was apparently set on fire without cause. A cyclist fell off his machine and his rifle went off. He immediately said he had been shot at. All the inhabitants were burnt in the houses. I hope there will be no more such horrors..

"At Leppe apparently 200 were shot. There must have been some innocent men among them. In future we shall have to hold an inquiry as to their guilt instead of shooting them.

"In the evening we marched to MaubertFontaine. Just as we were having our meal the alarm was sounded-every one is very jumpy.

"September 3rd.

over prisoners.

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Still at Rethel, on guard
The houses are charming

inside. The middle class in France has mag

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