They are now
nothing more than heaps of ashes. Their destruction has been a loss to
the whole civilized world.
Numbers of absolutely innocent women and children lost their lives in
the fire which was started by order of the German military officials. Of
those who were saved, several thousand, including women enfeebled by
age, and children in arms, are today wandering homeless over the roads,
without food or clothing. They are not to blame for anything, unless it
is because they belong to a nation which has refused to purchase peace
at the price of dishonor. That can be the only crime accounted to them
and it is for that they have lost all their possessions upon the earth.
From the declaration made by the Imperial German Chancellor it may be
seen that the German Government is conscious of its wrongdoing. As one
of the guarantors of Belgium's neutrality, it wanted to force Belgium to
relinquish its neutrality for Germany's benefit. Because Belgium would
not consent to this injustice and because Germany could not reproach her
with anything else, Germany invaded and covered with blood and ruin a
small peaceful country of hard-working and honest people, a country
which it had promised to protect.
This attack upon her neutrality is the first violation for which Belgium
asks judgment from the universal conscience.
Pages:
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499