in getting the upper hand. Town and northern suburbs were
burning at different places and by this time have probably burned down
altogether.

On the part of the Belgian Government a general rising of the population
against the enemy had been organized for a long time; depots of arms
were found where to each gun was attached the name of the citizen to be
armed.

A spontaneous rising of the people has been recognized, at the request
of the smaller States at The Hague Conference, as being within the law
of nations as far as weapons are carried openly and the laws of
civilized warfare are being observed; but such rising was only admitted
in order to fight the attacking.

In the case of Loewen the town had already surrendered and the
population renounced, without any resistance, the town being occupied
by our troops. Nevertheless the population attacked on all sides and
with a murderous fire the occupying forces and newly arriving troops,
which came in trains and automobiles, considering the hitherto peaceful
attitude of the population.

Therefore there can be no question of means of defense allowed by the
law of nations, neither of a warlike guet-apens, (ambush,) but only of a
treacherous attempt of the civil population all along the line, and all
the more to be condemned as it was apparently planned long beforehand
with simultaneous attack from Antwerp, as arms were not carried openly,
as women and young girls took part in the fight and blinded our wounded,
sticking their eyes out.

The barbarous attitude of the Belgian population in all parts occupied
by our troops has not only justified our severest measures, but forced
them on us for the sake of self-preservation. The intensity of the
resistance of the population is shown by the fact that in Loewen
twenty-four hours were needed to break down their attack.

We ourselves regret deeply that during these fights the town of Loewen
has been destroyed to a great extent. 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