BELGIAN WAR SUFFERINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19721, 22 August 1927, Page 9

BELGIAN WAR SUFFERINGS.

COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE.

GERMANY IS AGREEABLE.

JOINT INVESTIGATION PLAN

VIOLATED COUNTRY'S PLAINT

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received August 21. 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. BERLIN. Aug. 21. Great political importance is attached to the professed willingness of the Belgian and Germa-i Governments to submit to an investigation the question as to whether the participation by Belgian civilians in the Great War infringed international law. The investigation is expected to include tho violation of Belgian neutrality and the deportation of civilians. The committee will probably comprise one representative each of Belgium and Germany and a neutral chairman. A message from Brussels says the Belgian Government, in replying to the report of a sub-commission of the Reichstag on the deportations of Belgians during the war, said the deportees numbered 120,655. " Indescribable sufferings were inflicted on thousands of innocent people in German camps," said the Belgian Note. " It was hell. Even in Germany there were denunciations of the outrage, which caused thousands of deaths. " Instead of disputing the facts the Reichstag might well have dissociated the Republic from the war policy of tho former Imperial Government. The thesis that the deportations were necessary to reduce the labour shortage and to meet the necessities of public order is untenable. " Even now Belgium will welcome an inquiry into the accusations of the Belgians' irregular warfare." Germany replied that she was willing to negotiate for an investigation.