APPALLING RECORD OF CRIME

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 141, 10 March 1919, Page 5

APPALLING RECORD OF CRIME

SHEETED HOME TO CENTRAL EMPIRES INTERIM REPORT OF PEACE SUB-COMMISSION A TERRIBLE INDICTMENT By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright (Rec. March 9, 5.5 p.m.) London, March 7. Official: The sub-commission dealing with tho facts relating to the responsibility for the war and the violation of the laws of war and the principles of humanity has submitted an interim report. It forms a terrible indictment against the enemy Powers. Mr. Massey was chairman of the sub-commission and also chairman of its Drafting Committee. Tho sub-commission, after eliminating the weak cases, states that the facts are sumcently established to justify the inter I alia conclusions:

1. That the war was premeditated by the Central Powers, together with Turkey and Bulgaria, and was the result of acts deliberately committed in order to make it unavoidable, 2. Also, that the war was carried on by the Central Empires and their allies by barbarous and illegrtunate methods, in violation of the established laws and customs of war and the elementary principles ot humanity. The sub-commission enumerates the enemy's offences into over thirty eparate and distinct groups, which l3e Sß ar all previous calendars of crime and have m parallel in history. The list includes. Massacre. Torture. Starvation. Deportation. . Brutal internment of civilians. Abduction for enforced prostitution. Wanton destruction of religious and historic buildings and monumSudden and brutal attacks on merchant, passenger, relief, and 1 oftTe Red Cross and flags of truce. , Use of poisonous ga6es ana explosive bullets. Poisoning of wells, and ■111-treatment of prisoners of war. Probably a tribunal will be set up to deal with the offenders, whose names and positions will not in the meantime be published, for obvious reasons. The de tailed facts represent ani appal mp; recmi The main commission has not }et maae its final report. .. , r The Paris edition of the Dailj Mail referring to Mr. Massey s work on the commission, says that the ™ e ™ l)er preciated his practical views of policy matters. "He lias a directness ofl method and shrewd judgment. -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CLAIMS BY AMERICAN PRIVATE CITIZENS (Kec. March 10, 0.45 a.m.) * Washington. March 8. American citizens have filed totalling .£150,000,000 at the State Department against Germany -Beutei. PROOF OF MEDITATED DESTRUCTION

(Kec. March 9, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, March 7. ■ The complete documents discovered b? the Belgian polico have been presented the Repatriation Commission, containing detailed instructions to German troops for the work of destruction in Belgnim.Reuter.