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A REPLY TO THE GERMAN WHITE BOOK
ON THE CONDUCT OF THE GERMAN
TROOPS IN BELGIUML
Very shortly after the destruction of Louvain, the German
Government seem to have realised in some degree the horror
with which the conduct of their Army towards the population
-of Belgium was regarded by civilised countries.
That massacres, murders and wholesale destruction of
property had taken place were facts too stubborn to be denied.
The excuse, if any existed, for these outrages had to be found,
put into the most plausible shape and published to the world.
An official enquiry was therefore set on foot, and a large number
of witnesses were called before various tribunals. By May, 1915,
the results were ripe for publication, and they have been embodied
in a White Book published in Berlin under the title of " Offences
against International Law in the conduct of the War by the
Belgians."
It is the purpose of this paper to examine the case which has
been advanced by the German Government to account for, justify,
or condone the outrages of which their Army hag been accused,
and to see whether that case is well founded or whether in truth
the explanation of the martyrdom of Belgium does not lie, in a
considered predetermined policy of outrage and destruction which
had its impulse in the hope of forcing a speedy passage through
that country. In this connection it is of vital importance to
remember that the leaders of the German Army of invasion were
brought up on the doctrines of General von Hartmann who deified
brute force. "When international war has burst upon us," said
he, " terrorism becomes a principle made necessary by military
considerations " (Militarische Nothwendigkeit-Deutsche Rund-
schau, 1877-1878, p. 462).
The White Book itself runs to more than 300 folio pages and
contains the depositions of hundreds of witnesses. With hardly
an exception, they are German officers and soldiers, most of
whom were directly implicated in the ordering or carrying out
of massacres, and the razing of towns, villages and houses. For
these admitted acts, one and the same reason is given by all these
(6783-8.)
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