Morgan in France strongly corroborate
the evidence collected in this country.

The case numbered h 70 may be noted as very clearly stated. The Germans,
who had "put up a white flag on a lance and ceased fire," and thereby
induced a company to advance in order to take them prisoners, "dropped
the white flag and opened fire at a distance of 100 yards." This was
near Nesle, on Sept. 6, 1914. It seems clearly proved that in some
divisions at least of the German Army this practice is very common. The
incidents as reported cannot be explained by unauthorized surrenders of
small groups.

There is, in our opinion, sufficient evidence that these offenses have
been frequent, deliberate, and in many cases committed by whole units
under orders. All the acts mentioned in this part of the report are in
contravention of The Hague Convention, signed by the great powers,
including France, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, in
1907, as may be seen by a reference to Appendix D, in which the
provisions of that convention relating to the conduct of war on land are
set forth.

CONCLUSIONS.

From the foregoing pages it will be seen that the committee have come to
a definite conclusion upon each of the heads under which the evidence
has been classified.

It is proved--

(i.) That there were in many parts of Belgium deliberate and
systematically organized massacres of the civil population,
accompanied by many isolated murders and other outrages.

(ii.) That in the conduct of the war generally innocent
civilians, both men and women, were murdered in large numbers,
women violated, and children murdered.

(iii.) That looting, house burning, and the wanton destruction
of property were ordered and countenanced by the officers of
the German Army, that elaborate provision had been made for
systematic incendiarism at the very outbreak of the war, and
that the burnings and destruction were frequent where no
military necessity could be alleged, being indeed part of a
system of general terrorization.

(iv.) That the rules and usages of war were frequently broken,
particularly by the using of civilians, including women and
children, as a shield for advancing forces exposed to fire, to
a less degree by killing the wounded and prisoners, and in the
frequent abuse of the Red Cross and the white flag.

Sensible as they are of the gravity of the