HORRORS OF WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 7, 19 December 1911, Page 2

HORRORS OF WAR.

MR' McCULLAGH’S STORY

London, November 10. A further sworn statement in reference to the indiscriminate slaughter in Tripoli by Italians of innocent Arabs has been furnished by the war CIO IT espondent of the “Westminster Gazette,” Mr McCullagh, who writes: As a protest against the murders or innocent Arabs, women, children, and men, last week I returned my official papers as war correspondent to General Cancva. About 400 women and children have been shot, and also 4000 men, 'of whom not 100 yere guilty. Cripples and beggars have been deliberately shot. Refused Even a Drop of Water.

“Sick people whose houses were burned were left on the ground and refused even a drop of water. i Personally witnessed scenes of horror, and photographed them. .There has not been the slightest pretence ot justice. The Arab quarters were overrun by crazy soldiers armed with revolver's; who shot every Arab and woman they met. The officers ueie worse than the men, and the army was demoralised. On the return ox my papers I was summoned to headquarters, but refused to consider any communication except through the consul, and no further attempt was made to communicate with me. I am new leaving voluntarily. Hen Gottberg, the well-knoyn German military critic and war correspondent or the‘Berlin ‘Lokal Anzieger, took the same step. Every British correspondent save one leaves to-day (Satin - day). The facts of the massacres are beyond dispute. The consuls have already informed their Governments. The scenes are worse than any Russian pogrom or Armenian massacre. Two pro-Italian Jews were massacred by mistake. Arabs Most Courteous Opponents. “The Arabs did mutilate corpses, but not till after the Italians began their massacres. The Arabs were at first most courteous opponents, brinping in Italian wounded under the flag'of truce. I visited the Italnn front of the battle on October 26th, and found the soldiers paralysed with fear Very many of the soldiers are now heartily sick of the war. Ihe dreadful persistency of the enemy day and night affects the soldiers imagination 0 powerfully. Up to a tew days ago, when heavy reinforcements arrived, the Italian line was in great danger of being rushed at any - moment, in which case there would have been a mad, wild rush for the boats and every European in Tripoli would have run'a danger of being massacred. So anxious are the consuls still tha they are desiring the Italian Government to provide transports whereon Europeans may take refuge. Genera! Caneva’s Attitude. “General Caneva persists in regarding the Arabs as non-combatants. He says he is fighting Turkey, and the Arabs therefore are not regular soldiers in uniform, and must be shot it caup-ht with arms in their hands, whether under the white flag or not. “On October 26th a small, brave band of Arabs, who broke the Italian lines at, Bumeley, was surrounded in a house and fought for twelve houi s, till their-.ammunition was exhausted. They were, all butchered, despite the fact that the white flag, was displayed Mortally wounded men in the battle-front would creep up to the Italian lines for the satisfaction ot killing one more Italian before they should die. The Holy War has been successfully proclaimed. Bedouins from Egypt and Arabs from the Soudan are' all joining the Tripolitans. Only an advance guard of fifteen hundred Arabs is so far attacking the Italians, despite the ridiculous statements ot the Italian papers that the enemy s losses are thousands jE/ Little Arab Vanguard Valour.

“The little Arab vanguard is armed with antiquated rifles, but fights so desperatelly that battleships, aeroplanes, seven field batteries, nine mountain batteries, 16 machine guns, and an infinite supply of the best rifles and ammunition are employed against them. Splendid land and sea •searchlights are sweeping the seashore and the desert. Deep trenches wherein to hide the wire entanglements are made, and there are loopholed walls behind which crouch over 2000 Italians, of whom 1200 are perpetual! yin the trenches. Despite all these advantages, the Italians are petually in the trenches. Despite all retreated on the so that the Arab sharp-shooters in the datepalms now reach the town with bullets. The Arab Sharpshooters. The citadel wherein General Caneva lives was hit by a bullet to-day, and the German and American Consulates have been repeatedly hit. _ A soldier was killed near the American Consulate by a bullet from an Arab firingline. ' Both the German and American Consuls have abandoned their Consulates, and have takfen refuge in the town, and everybody in the outskirts has done the same.

The Murdered Litter the Oasis. “Great shells from the ships are constantly smashing the date-palms and olive amid which the enemy is hidden. Loud explosions every day indicate the blowing up of houses outside the walls, wherein every night the enemy take cover. Soldiers refuse to bury the murdered Arabs who litter the oasis. There is a terrible stench. The Arabs also refuse, save at the bayonet’s point, and consequently contagion -is spreading fast. “The Italian battle losses are 1500. Three hundred dead and 500 wounded were left pn a hospital ship a few days ago. Attempts are made to conceal these figures. They lie generally about th 6 position here. They have admitted officially having executed JO Arabs in one day; whereas I saw fifty men and children executed in one batch alone, and executions on a far larger scale are going on all around.”