GERMAN EXECUTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15944, 15 June 1915, Page 6

GERMAN EXECUTIONS.

Three days ago a cablegram from Amsterdam announced that there had been a Revival of German terrorism in Belgium owing to the refusal of Belgians to do military work. Executions* on a large scale had occurred, and many public men had been arrested.' To-day a cablegram from Berlin gives what : is suspiciously like tho German version of the same v incidont. It appears that Germany has received" information that seventeen spies were arrested at Liege, that seven had. been executed,' that four others were awaiting death, and that six had been sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. This is in keeping with the German method of attempting to confuse the opinion of neutrals by setting up a justification for her atrocities. Acrschot was destroyed because the son of the burgomaster, a boy of fifteen, was alleged to have pointed a revolver at a German officer, Louvain was ruined becausit was " discovered" that there was a conspiracy fomented by the burgomaster, the priests and leading citizens to suddenly fall upon and exterminate'the garrison. Time and inquiry havo proved the shallowness of these German claims, but they served the purpose for which tho story of the " spies" is doubtless circulated when for the time being 1 they raised a doubt in neutral minds and made German "thoroughness" a matter. of controversy instead of a subject of condemnation.