WAR CRIMES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9545, 10 March 1919, Page 6

WAR CRIMES.

A TERRIBLE INDICTMENT

LONDON, March 7. The sub-comniission which is dealing with the facts-relating to the responsibility for the war and the violation of .the laws of war and the principles of ■ humanity, lias submitted an interim report. It forms' a terrible indictment against the enemy Powers. Mr Massey was chairman of the smboonmrission, and also chairman: of its drafting committee!. The sub-commission, after eliminating weak cases, states that the facts are sufficiently established to justify, inter alia, conclusions that the war was premeditated by the Central Powers, together with Turkey and Bulgaria, and was the result of acts deliberately committed in order to make it unavoidable; also that the war was carried on by the Central Empires and their allies by barbarous and illegitimate methods, in violation of the established laws and customs of war and the elementary principles of humanity. The sub-commission enumerates the enemy's offences into over 30 separate and distinct groups, which beggar all previous calendars of crime, and have no parallel in history.. The list includes massacre, torture, starvation,

depoi-tation, brutal; internment of civiKanvS, rape, abduction For enforced prostitution, pillage, wanton destruction, of religious and historic buildings and monuments, sudden and brutal sinking of merchant, passenger, relief and hospital ships, the abuse of the Red Cross and flags of truce, the use of poisonous gases* and explosive bullets, the poisoning of wells', and the ill-treatment of prisoners of war.

A tribunal will probably be set up to deaf with the offenders, whose names and positions will! not in the meantime be published for obvious reasons.

The detailed facts represent an appall nig record. ' The main commission has nob yet made its final report. The "Daily Mail,".) referring to Mr Massey's. work on "the commission, says:—"Members appreciated his practical views on policy matters. He has directness of method and shrewd judgment.

PARIS, March 7

Tlie War Responsibility Commission wiLl discuss the'list of war crimes drawn up-under the shrewd "chairmanship of Mr Ma-ssey, who classified the crimes under 31 headings.