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Holland to codify and develop such laws. These laws are important in that their ultimate aim is the settlement of disputes, the prevention of war, and in the meantime the modification of the suffering inseparable from war.
Now in respect to warfare, International Law has hitherto been of immense value in many ways, not the least of which has been in maintaining a spirit of chivalry; thus, in order to prevent Europe lapsing into the monstrous deeds of barbarism, it has been agreed that certain things shall not be done. Prisoners may not be slain, the persons and property of non-combatants may not be violated or looted, ransom or indemnities may not be demanded from occupied towns, public buildings and churches shall be respected, and the Red Cross shall be sacred. The Red Cross may be worn only by doctors, nurses, and the ambulance service, whose errand with the troops is not that of slaughter but of mercy.
Let us examine some of these laws, to which, be it remembered, Germany has pledged berself, and let us also see how she has kept her sacred pledge. We have seen that she pledged her word to protect Belgium, and we have seen how she kept that word. She pleaded the evil plea of "necessity" to that breach of faith. Can she plead any excuse for breach of faith in regard to pledges she has given to all the nations, and to civilisation in general? Here, then, are some of the covenants into which she has entered, and here, too, are displayed a few of the ways in which she has honoured, or rather, dishonoured them.
One of the international declarations to which Germany appended her signature says: "The territory of neutral Powers is inviolable." Another says: "Belligerents are forbidden "to move troops or convoys, whether of munitions of war or of supplies, across the territory "of a neutral Power." It has already been clearly shown that Germany has broken her contract by deliberately invading Belgium and Luxemburg. In her invasion of these countries, against the protest of both, she also broke her engagement with all the other nations, eastern and western, which signed the covenant just quoted. No greater indictment of Germany can be found in regard to this than the excuse which the German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg, on August 4th, gave to the Reichstag. He said: -
"Gentlemen, we are now in a state of necessity, and necessity knows no law. Our troops have occupied Luxemburg, and perhaps they are already on Belgian soil. Gentlemen, "that is contrary to the dictates of International Law. . . . The wrong I speak openly— "that we are committing we will endeavour to make good as soon as our milltary goal bas "been reached. Anybody who is threatened as we are threatened, and is fighting for his
bighest possessions, can have only one thought-how to hack his way through."
Here is a plain acknowledgment by the Chancellor of Germany that Germany was false to her pledges, and that she was resolved to slay and destroy, to loot and to burn a small country she had sworn to protect.
Other articles signed by Germany say:-
K
Belligerents are forbidden to destroy or seize enemy property, unless such destruction
**or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.
"The attack or bombardment, by any means whatever, of undefended towns, villages, "dwellings, or buildings, is forbidden.
"In sieges and bombardments all necessary steps must be taken to spare as far as "possible buildings dedicated to public worship, art, science, or charitable purposes, historic "monuments, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they "are not being used at the time for military purposes.
The giving over to pillage of a town or place, even when taken by assault, is "forbidden.
"No collective penalty, pecuniary or otherwise, shall be inflicted upon the population "on account of the acts of individuals for which it cannot be regarded as collectively "responsible.
"The property of local authorities, as well as that of institutions dedicated to public worship, charity, education, and to science and art, even when State property, shall be "treated as private property.
"Any seizure or destruction of, or wilful damage to, institutions of this character, "historic monuments, and works of science and art, is forbidden and should be made the
subject of legal proceedings.
"The High Contracting Parties declare that in cases not covered by the rules adopted by them, the inhabitants and the belligerents remain under the protection and governance "of the principles of the law of nations, derived from the usages established among "civilised peoples, from the laws of humanity, and the dictates of the public conscience."
How has Germany in her action in Belgium, France and Poland kept her sacred word? There is indisputable proof that every one of these articles have been ruthlessly broken. It would require a book to tell all the shameful story, and we can but give a few typical instances. The city of Louvain, an undefended city, was one of the most beautiful in Belgium. Rich in architectural and artistic treasures, it was not merely a Belgian possession but a world treasure. Its famous University was one of the most ancient in the world. The University Library was furnished in ancient exquisitely carved woodwork of unique design, It contained 150,000 books and many thousands of priceless ancient manuscripts which it is impossible to replace. The Germans destroyed all this by fire, together with the entire University. The burning of the books by Ch'in Shih Huang is one of the outstanding crimes of that Emperor. The burning of the priceless treasures of Louvain University is a crime as great or even greater, for Ch'in Shi Huang did not value learning, while the destruction of Louvain was perpetrated by a nation that prides itself on Kultur. The Kaiser has robbed, not only Belgium, but all humanity, of treasures of civilisation which are lost for ever. Thus has he kept his oath to the nations. Not only so, but the whole town is now a mere shell, it having been deliberately burned to the ground, and its unhappy inhabitants compelled to flee into exile.
Termonde was a beautiful Belgian town with a handsome Town Hall. The town and its hall are now, without any justification, a heap of ruins, and its people scattered and
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