of State, Vice President of the Senate; Messrs. Ryckmans,
Senator; Strauss, Alderman of the City of Antwerp; Van Cutsem, Honorary
President of the Law Court of Antwerp. Secretaries, Chevalier Ernst de
Bunswyck, Chief Secretary of the Belgian Minister of Justice; Mr. Orts,
Counselor of the Legation.

In brief the report submits first, that in violation of the perpetual
treaty of June 26, 1831, Germany notified Belgium that France was about
to march upon Germany, and that Germany proposed to frustrate such a
move by sending its soldiers through Belgium; that the German government
had no intention of making war against Belgium, and that if Belgium
made no opposition it would evacuate Belgium after hostilities ceased,
and during the period the German forces were in the country, would buy
everything needed for its army. Belgium replied that it had assurance
from France that France had no intention of invading Belgium, and that
if France attempted to pass through Belgium would oppose such an act
with force. It informed the German Imperial Government that it would
similarly oppose any move on the part of Germany to pass through.

Nevertheless Germany proceeded at once through Belgium. Quoting articles
from the Hague treaty, the commission's report reads:

THE DAYS OF BARBARISM.

"In the days of barbarism, the population of a territory occupied by the
enemy was deprived of all judicial capacity. At that time," as Ghering
writes ironically, "'the enemy was absolutely deprived of rights;
everything he owned belonged to the gallant warrior who had wrenched it
away from him. One had merely to lose it.'

"In our days the rules of warfare clearly establish the difference
between the property of the government of the territory occupied and the
property of individuals. While the present doctrine allows the conqueror
to seize, in a general way, everything in the way of movable property
belonging to the State, it obliges him, on the other hand, to respect
the property of individuals, corporations and public provincial
administrations.

"The Hague Convention, signed October 18, 1897, by all the civilized
States, among others by Germany, contains the following stipulations
regarding laws and customs of warfare on land:

"'Art. 46. The honor and right of the family, the life of the individual
and private property, as well as religious convictions and the exercise
of worship, must be respected. Private property cannot be confiscated