Needless to say that these
consequences are not intentional on our part, but cannot be avoided in
this infamous franc-tireur war being led against us.
Whoever knows the good-natured character of our troops cannot seriously
pretend that they are inclined to needless or frivolous destruction.
The entire responsibility for these events rests with the Belgian
Government, who with criminal frivolity have given to the Belgian people
instructions contrary to law of nations and incited the resistance, and
who, in spite of our repeated warnings, even after the fall of Luettich,
(Liege,) have done nothing to induce them to a peaceful attitude.
* * * * *
Official German Statement Published in Berlin, Sept. 7.
Belgium is officially spreading false representations about the
occurrences through which the City of Louvain was made to suffer. It is
claimed that German troops, having been repulsed by Belgians making a
sortie from Antwerp, were fired upon by mistake by the German garrison
of Louvain and that in this way fighting occurred there. But events
prove incontestably that the Germans repulsed the Belgian sortie.
During this battle before Antwerp an undoubtedly organized attack was
made upon the German troops at many places in Louvain, after apparently
friendly relations between the Germans and the citizens of the town had
seemed for twenty-four hours to be beginning.
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