"DEAR BROTHER, * * * You will shortly go to Brussels with your regiment, as you know. Take care to protect yourself against these _Civilians_, especially in the villages. Do not let anyone of them come near you. _Fire without pity on everyone of them who comes too near._ They are very clever, cunning fellows, these Belgians; even the women and children are armed and fire their guns. Never go inside a house, especially alone. If you take anything to drink make the inhabitants drink first, and keep at a distance from them. _The newspapers relate numerous cases in which they have fired on our soldiers whilst they were drinking._ You soldiers must spread around so much fear of yourselves that no civilian will venture to come near you. Remain always in the company of others. _I hope that you have read the newspapers and that you know how to behave. Above all have no compassion for these cut-throats. Make for them without pity with the butt-end of your rifle and the bayonet._ * * * "Your brother, "WILLI." The Emperor gave his sanction to the reports of the brutal acts of the Belgians in a telegram to President Wilson. [Sidenote: Emperor's telegram.] "BERLIN, VIA COPENHAGEN, _Sept. 7, 1914_. "SECRETARY OF STATE, "_Washington_. "Number 53. September 7. I am requested to forward the following telegram from the Emperor to the President: "'I feel it my duty, Mr. President, to inform you as the most prominent representative of principles of humanity, that after taking the French fortress of Longwy, my troops discovered there thousands of dumdum cartridges made by special government machinery. The same kind of ammunition was found on killed and wounded troops and prisoners, also on the British troops. You know what terrible wounds and suffering these bullets inflict and that their use is strictly forbidden by the established rules of international law. I therefore address a solemn protest to you against this kind of warfare, which, owing to the methods of our adversaries has become one of the most barbarous known in history. Not only have they employed these atrocious weapons, but the Belgian Government has openly encouraged and since long carefully prepared the participation of the Belgian civil population in the fighting. The atrocities committed even by women and priests in this guerilla warfare, also on wounded soldiers, medical staff and nurses, doctors killed, hospitals attacked by rifle fire, were such that my generals finally were compelled to take the most drastic measures in order to punish the guilty and to frighten the blood-thirsty population from continuing their work of vile murder and horror. Some villages and even the old town of Loewen [Louvain], excepting the fine hôtel de ville, had to be destroyed in self-defense and for the protection of my troops. My heart bleeds when I see that such measures have become unavoidable and when I think of the numerous