(c) crown copyright
Catalogue Reference:CAB/24/66
Image Reference:0012
^ S i i S L i S J I l l PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'B GOVERN ZNT, Y
'
W A R ,. 0 A B I H E . T.,
REPARATION FOR ACTS 0'J? DEVASTATION,
Translation of a letter addressed to the British
Amp a ssadur in ^J^^i o n d or si n-g a declarat ion of
t.he Haiional^ Exeoutri^ro^Cciima"ttoe "for the complete
replication oT"7iamag"c c a u s e d by the War.
PARIS,
24th September, 1918.
ITouveau s i 5 g e social,
25, Avenue de tiessine,
Paris 8
e
His Excellency, The Ambassador,
We have the honour to transmit.to yuu a declaration
I. drawn up "by the Board of Management of the National Executive
Committee for the oumplete Reparation of Damage oaused by the
I V/ar, at its Meeting of 13th September, 1916, concerning steps
FUR stopping the destruction of property by the Germans in the
I oocupied territories.
We beg you to bring this declaration to the notice
cf your Government, as it seems to us that its publication
j by the Allied Governments v/uuld have the requisite effect
\ on our enemies, and '.vould put an end to their vandalism.
We have, etc..,
The "SecretaireGeneral" .
His Excellency,
The British Ambassador,
PARIS,
(Signed)
IECLARATICiT OF THE NAT 10ML EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE
v
COMPLETE REPARATION QF MCAGE CAUSED BY THE WAR.
(Comite
National d Action pour le Reparation
des doramages causer, par le Guerre)
1
(dession of the Board 1 3 t h S e p t o 1 9 1 8 . )
The a t t e n t i o n Of the abbve Committee in accordance with its instruct
tions has been directed since the beginning of the War to the aoto of
destruction, devastation, confiscation, pillage, requisitions and
forced contributions which had been carried on without any reasons of
military necessity, in the invaded territories and which, in spite
of the universal horror and condemnation aroused thereby in the whole
civilised world, continue to increaso and become intensifiedt
These iniquitous proceedings which revive the memory Qf ages
long forgotten, and which are contrary to the most elemental concep­
tions of international law: t h i s Economic exploitation of War, as the
ifermans themselves dare t o term their mTliiarF"operat'iens which
transform warfare into a detestable system of Purglary (Cambriplage),
having for its aim the agricultural, industrial and "commercial ruin
of the invaded country; all these must have had official sanction.
The sanction $f crimes and acts of violence carefully premeditated
and minutely thought out in. all their details, and carried out
cruelly and in cold blood are nft less mo ns trover than the crimes them­
selvesc
The ancient principle of the 1 e : ^ t a l h o w e v e r repugnant
it may seem to nations fighting for"thV"'supremacy "f Justice, Right'
and Liberty, is nevertheless the only one that in the present circum­
stances can appeal to a nation which has deliberately placed itself
outside the pale of civilisation and which is admittedly in a state
of retrogression.
On the other hand this principle will leave
unprejudiced, for action at the proper time, all prlitical and
legal obligations, pecuniary and penal, collective and individual,
which Governments and private citizens may desire to put into force,,..
In these circumstances, and considering the unwarrantable
aggravation of this scientific savagery, the old law of an Eye for
an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth i s the only law which can put an
"end to the abominable conc"eption of War entertained by the Germans,
r
The National Committee, on behalf of the interests which it
is defending, therefore calls upon the Governments whose peoples
are engaged in this Modern Crusade, t-' announce their solemn and
formal resolve to put into practice the modernised leaJBalionig.
Town for Town, V i s a g e . for^Viilage, , Church for Church; Cgateau,
for Chateau. --EsfeatofcFWFaFe.."it is aTofaTiation which the
modern barbarlans"""have brought" upon themselves, and is tho only
formula which oan make any impression on hearts and minds impervious
to any other sentiment than that inspiwd by the fear of a terrible
and swift punishment.
*