ONE GREAT ABATTOIR

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1918, Page 13

ONE GREAT ABATTOIR

' The stories now reaching us from the Italian headquarters of atrocities perpetrated by Aiustrians in invaded Italian territory would seem incredible if they stood alone (says the "Daily Chronicle"). Unfortunately there ie every reason to believe them all true; there ie a precedent for every horror in King Victor's domains. We know now that it was the mission of Austria at the outset to "massacre Serbia" —Italy was not then in—and to maaeacre they did at-

tempt. The public memory is ehort, but sworn testimony upon the point exists, the evidence of English, American, ] Dutch, and Swiss observers.

The documents presented were appalling, those of Dr. Reiee, Professor of Political Science at the University of Lausanne, especially co. These contained not only affidavits, but photographs of vast graves which he caused to be opened, graves containing hundreds of slaughtered civilians, old men and women, young girls, 'babes. Every evidence of outrage and unspeakable cruelty was there. Shabatz, which witnessed the slaughter of 4000 civilians, was only a fraction of the great abattoir.