"
Another note-book simply states, "Sommepy--horrible carnage. The village
entirely burnt; the French thrown into the burning houses; civilians
with the rest." Another recalls theatrical memories. "The village is
ablaze; it reminds one of the conflagration of Walhalla in the 'Twilight
of the Gods.'"

Here is a poet speaking: "The soldiers set up the red cock (_i.e._,
fire) upon the houses, just as they like." This poet is moved, and
speaks of "pure vandalism" on the part of his companions in arms. And
again, a musician writes, "Throwing of incendiary grenades into the
houses; a military concert in the evening--'Nun danket alle Gott'! (Now
thank we all our God)." Finally, a Bavarian: "The village
(Saint-Maurice, Meurthe-et-Moselle) was surrounded, and the soldiers
posted one yard apart so that no one could escape. Then the Uhlans set
fire to the place, one house after the other. No man, woman, or child
could possibly escape. Only the cattle were removed in safety, because
cattle have some value. Anyone trying to escape was shot. Everything in
the village was destroyed." We shall see presently that they even went
so far as to burn ambulances.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] They destroyed by fire the Library at Louvain, with its 200,000
volumes and its incomparable treasures. By means of shells and fire they
have injured in one place, totally destroyed in another, wonders of art
that were an integral part of our human heritage; our Cathedrals at
Rheims, Arras, Ypres, &c.

[5] Belgium alone accounts for about 20,000.

[6] This fact is quoted in the admirable book by Captain A. de Gerlache,
entitled "Belgium and the Belgians during the War," published by the
firm of Berger-Levrault.

[7] See note at foot of page 31. (this is foot-note 11)

MURDER

Not having sufficient space for a complete catalogue, we shall here
simply mention the judicial murders of Miss Cavell, Eugene Jacquet,
Battisti, and others, in order to honour the memory of those noble
victims. For the same reason, as they are now well known to everyone, we
content ourselves with merely recalling the criminal torpedoing of the
_Lusitania,_[8] _Ancona, Portugal, Amiral-Ganteaume_.... all merchant
steamers, without any military character whatever, employed in carrying
passengers of every nationality, and the last-named crowded with
refugees.

We may pass over the crimes committed _from a distance_, so to speak, on
unfortified towns, with fieldpieces, long-r