"THE WILD BEAST OF EUROPE."

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15421, 28 October 1915, Page 8

"THE WILD BEAST OF EUROPE."

WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE.

A RECORD OF INFAMY.

(TO BE READ BY MEN ONLY.) \ TTlie murder of MissCavellby the Germans has created a thrill of horror and righteous hate throughout the world. Bad as it is, this deed of blood is not so horrible as hundreds of atrocities perpetrated by the Germans in France and Belgium. Believing that a very largo section of the public in New Zealand hare failed to realise what German domination would mean, we piopose to publish in this column extracts from the evidence given before the "'British Committee on Alleged German Outrages,"' presided over by Viscount Bryce. >Some of the details aro very dreadful, and wc hop© that our women readers will not read this column. On the other hand, we hope that every New Zealander of military age will read and ponder over every word, and then ask himself what he ought to do.] WHAT HAPPENED AT LIEGE. [Statement by a Belgian Soldier, pages 18 and 19 of Report.] About the 10th of August I was in the street between the Rue des Pitteurs and the Rue Baswet. There were about 300 Germans of the 7Sth Regiment of Infantry in the Rue des Pitteurs. About 120 men were going up to each of the houses. One of them had a sort of syringe with which he squirted into the houso and another would throw a bucket of water in. A handful of stuff was first put into the bucket and when the stuff in the bucket was thrown into the house there was an immediate explosion. In this way about 80 houses were .set on fire. All the houses were on one sido of tho street. They did not burn any houses on tho other side. Beforo setting fire to these houses tho Germans drove any inhabitants there were in them into tho cellars. All the houses ■were inhabited, but some of the inhabitants had got away beforo the Germans came up to them. At about 30 of the houses, I actually saw faces At tho windows before the Germans entered, and then saw tho same faccs at the cellar windows after the Germans had driven the people into the cellars. One set of Germans, about 20 in number, would do all this at a house and then set fire to it. Altogether this took tho whole morning. Before each house wa6 burnt it was thoroughly searched by tho men who brought out all sorts of furniture and put it on to waggons which were waiting outside, I also saw some of tho men bringing out bags of money and handing them to their officers. There wero about 30 officers in the street. I am quite eure of this. Thero wore also J. crowd of Belgian civilians in the street. I actually sawall these houses set fire to. In this way 35 people were burnt. I know this from the list which was put up in the police station afterwards and which I saw. Ono of tho houses which was burnt was the house of a man I knew. Ho and two daughters, his nephew and niece, were burnt there. His wife was away at the time. She had gono to Brussels tho day before to see her parents. I know tho family very well. That night I slept at tho stationer's and on tho following morning at 7.30, I went out and walked Rue des Pitteurs. I walked towards tho Placo des l'iUniversite. When I was in the Placo St. Lambert I heard shooting. I went to try and find whero it was going on. In the Rue Soens do Hasse 1 saw civilians l>rought out of their houses. About 150 Germans under eight officers. They wore paying houso to houso visits, bringing all tho people out of tho houses and forming them up in the street. I kept some little distance away and so did many other Belgians who wero with me. The Belgians from tho houses wore marched off to tho Place do l'Universite bet v.-ten files of soldiers. I followed, keeping about 25 or 30 metres behind. When the Placo was reached tho Belgians were not formed up in any order, but tho Germans fired on them. I heard an oificcr shout an order in German and all tho Germans in ono part of the square fired. The firing was not iu volleys and went on for about 20 minutes. Whilst this was going on other Germans were going into other houses in tho square and bringing out more Belgians whom they put among those who were being ehot. Altogether 32 were killed—all men. I countcd tho bodies afterwards. I saw all this from tho end of the Rue Socns de Hasse. There were many Belgians with me, but none of us were troubled. When I saw any Germans coming I got out of the way. I was not in uniform and had my revolver in my pocket. After the- shooting about seven or eight were finished off with the bayonet. Immediately after the men had been killed, I saw the Germans going in to tho houses in the Place and bringing out tho women and girls. About 20 wero brought out. They were marched close to the corpses. Each of them was held by the arms. They tried to get away. They were mado to lio on tables which had been brought into tho square. About 15 of them wero then violated. Each of tlicm was violated by about 12 6t>ldiers. While this was gom# on about 70 Germans were standing round tho women, including five officers (young). Tho officers started it. Thero were some of tho Germans between me and the women, but I could see everything perfectly. The ravishing went on for about 1} hours. I watched the whole time. Many of the women fainted and showed no sign of life. The Red Cross took them away to the hospital. While this was going on other Germans were burning the houses in the square. The houses were empty of people. I went back to the stationer's and got back about 2 o'clock. I heard the Germans say that they burnt and shot because they had been fired on by the Belgian but it was untrue. HIS MAJESTY THE KING, IV HIS MESSAGE TO HIS PEOPLE SAYS: — "More men n?d yet more men are wanted to keep up my armies in the field, and through thero to 06* cure victory and an enduring peace. In ancient d«y» tho darkest moment ever produced in the men of out race the sternest resolve. I ask yon—fflen of all classes—to come forward voluntarily and take your share in the fight." MEN OF NEW ZEALAND I

DO YOUR DUTY!