Raemaekers' Cartoon History of the War Volume I Part 5

The Cathedral of Rheims has many companions in distress. The German army, when it invaded the north of France, destroyed, totally or partially, by bombardment or incendiarism, churches and chapels at Albert, Serres, Vieille-Capelle, Etavigny, Soissons, Hebuterne, Ribecourt, Suippes, Montceau, Barcy, Revigny, Souain, Maurupt, Berry-au-Bac, Mandray, Heiltz-le-Maurupt, Sermaize-les-Bains, Doncieres, etc.

_From "Is War Civilization?"_ _By_ PROF. CHRISTOPHE NYROP, _University of Copenhagen._

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_PROSPERITY REIGNS IN FLANDERS_

_Four hundred and eighty millions of francs have been imposed as a war tax but soup is given gratis_

PROCLAMATION

A War Contribution, amounting to 480,000,000 francs, to be paid in monthly installments over the course of a year, is imposed on the population of Belgium.

The payment of these sums devolves upon the Nine Provinces, which are held collectively responsible for the discharge of it.

The two first installments are to be paid up, at latest, on January 15, 1915, and the following installments on the 10th, at latest, of each following month, to the Field Army Treasury of the Imperial Governor-Generals.h.i.+p at Brussels.

In case the Provinces have to resort to the issue of bonds in order to obtain the funds necessary, the form and terms of these bonds will be settled by the Imperial Commissary-General for the Banks in Belgium.

BARON VON BISSING, _Governor-General in Belgium._ _Brussels, December 10, 1914._

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_A FACT_

_This brutalism by Major Tille of the German Army on a small boy of Maastricht was vouched for by an eye-witness._

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_TO YOUR HEALTH, CIVILIZATION!_

CONCLUSIONS

It is proved--

(i.) That there were in many parts of Belgium deliberate and systematically organized ma.s.sacres of the civil population, accompanied by many isolated murders and other outrages.

(ii.) That in the conduct of the war generally innocent civilians, both men and women, were murdered in large numbers, women violated, and children murdered.

(iii.) That looting, house burning, and the wanton destruction of property were ordered and countenanced by the officers of the German Army, that elaborate provision had been made for systematic incendiarism at the very outbreak of the war, and that the burnings and destruction were frequent where no military necessity could be alleged, being indeed part of a system of general terrorization.

(iv.) That the rules and usages of war were frequently broken, particularly by the using of civilians, including women and children, as a s.h.i.+eld for advancing forces exposed to fire, to a less degree by killing the wounded and prisoners, and in the frequent abuse of the Red Cross and the white flag.

_British Government Committee's Report._

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_A CONFLICT OF TESTIMONY_

"_Sire, it's quite easy; for every witness who swears we've murdered innocent people we will produce two who will swear they did not see it_"

All that I care to say about the Belgian charges is that I have officially informed the State Department in Was.h.i.+ngton that there is not one word of truth in the statements made to the President yesterday by the Belgian Commission.

COUNT VON BERNSTORFF, _German Amba.s.sador, at Was.h.i.+ngton, September 17._

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_THE MOTHERS OF BELGIUM_

Christian mothers, be proud of your sons. Of all griefs, of all our human sorrows, yours is perhaps the most worthy of veneration. I think I behold you in your affliction. Suffer us to offer you not only our condolence, but our congratulation. Not all our heroes obtain temporal honors, but for all we expect the immortal crown of the elect. For this is the virtue of a single act of perfect charity--it cancels a whole lifetime of sins. It transforms a sinful man into a saint.

CARDINAL MERCIER, _Archbishop of Malines_.

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_KREUZLAND, KREUZLAND uBER ALLES_

_"Where are our fathers?" Belgium, 1914_

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_THE WIDOWS OF BELGIUM_