Cabled to Royal Commission at Washington from Belgian Foreign Office.
Cablegram Received Sept. 8.
You have received the reports of the commission of Aug. 25 and 31.
Since then a great many localities, situated in the Vilvorde-Malines-
Louvain triangle, an extremely fertile and densely populated district,
have been partially pillaged and totally destroyed by fire. Their
inhabitants have fled, while a number of them, among others women and
children, were arrested and shot without trial, and without apparent
reason, except to inspire the population with terror. This was done in
Sempst, Weerde, Elewyt, Hofstade, Wespelaer, Wilsele, Bucken, Eppeghem,
Houthem, Tremeloo, Tistelt, Gelrode, Herent. At Wavre, where the
population was unable to pay a levy of 3,000,000 francs, fifty-six
houses were set on fire. The largest part of Cortenberg is burned. To
excuse these attacks the Germans allege that an army of civilians
resisted them. According to trustworthy testimony, no provocation can
be proved at Vise, Aerschot, Louvain, Wavre, and in other localities
situated in the Malines-Louvain-Vilvorde district, where fire was set
and massacres committed several days after the German occupation.
Cablegram Received Sept.
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