n women and young girls participated in these atrocities.
Hence German wounded have had their eyes gouged out, noses, ears,
fingers and genitals cut off and their bodies cut open; in other cases
German soldiers have been poisoned, hanged on trees, or had burning
liquids poured on them, causing death in a most terrible form.

"This bestial behaviour on the part of the civilian population is a
breach of Article I., Convention of Geneva,[120] and the principles of
military law, as well as the principles of humanity" (p. 4).

[Footnote 120: Self-proclaimed outlaws cite the law when it suits their
purpose!--Author.]

"The guilt for these transgressions of international law lies largely at
the door of the Belgian Government. The latter has made an attempt to
rid itself of responsibility by ascribing the guilt to the rage for
destruction in the German troops, who are accused of proceeding to deeds
of violence without any reason or ground.[121]

[Footnote 121: Certainly, just as in Germany in peace time.--Author.]

"An examining commission has been appointed by the Belgian Government to
inquire into the alleged cruelties of German soldiers, and the evidence
thus obtained has been made the subject of diplomatic complaints. This
attempt to pervert the truth has absolutely failed.

"The German army is accustomed to wage war against hostile troops, but
not against peaceful citizens.[122] Investigations conducted by any
examining commission whatsoever, can never dispose of the irrefutable
fact that German troops were forced by Belgium's native population to
take defensive measures in the interests of self-preservation.

[Footnote 122: German non-commissioned officers are accustomed to kick
and beat German privates, and the behaviour of German soldiers to
fellow-subjects is aptly illustrated by Lieutenant Foerster fighting a
pitched battle with a lame old cobbler in Zabern.--Author.]

"The refugees' tales collected by the Belgian commission and declared by
them to be the result of an impartial investigation bear a stamp which
makes them unworthy of belief. According to the nature of things, the
commission is not in a position to test the veracity of such rumours or
to apprehend the association of events. Hence, their accusations against
the German army are nothing other than base slanders which are
completely invalidated by the accompanying documents" (pp. 5-6).

It must be assumed that readers are acquainted with the officia