New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-16

zinc unemployed without consent OF the
military government would be punished
bv fine of $1,000 By a subsequent
order OF Nav ~. 1916. the military au-
thorities were directed 20 remove ny
force the unemployed 20 places where
they were required by their German
onprcssors 10 WORK. This was the DC
ginning Of tine slave raids. now I'D prog
Tess TO the horror OF the world.
els there I'm modern history anything
approaching 20 this catalogue or nor
rorse The chief justification has been
that the Belgian people. 40 the hrst
few weeks 81 the Invasion, fought IN
contraycutiou OF international law.
"That is precisely what the Minute
Men Of Lexington and Concord did
,rbcn from behind tho stone walls OF
New England farms they poured hot
shot upon the British grenadiers. but
have never heard that General Gage
i'm revenge burned hundreds Of villages
and towns of New England. destroyed
public cdifces, deprived the people of
their resources. shot or deported lead
ing men and reduced the rest 10 slav-
cry.
Women irSt ENlleu
"The system of enforced slavery be
gan under peculiarly malignant circum-
stances last Faster, when hundreds Q
women and young girls i'm Belgium and
Northern France were ruthlessiy ana
suddenly torn from their homes and
Skinned 10 detention camps, where they
were obliged 10 work In harvest camps
uuder prugsian bayOuctS.
WAS ever slavery more Indignantly
cruel than this? Already 100000 have
been thus dcportcd. For this cuimlnat-
ing atrocitv there can be no atonement
rill the Uohenzollern dynasty IS driven
from its throne OF power into the dark
ness of exile. There can be 10 lasting
peace i'm the world until there is Ger
man republic.
1T is i'm the power Of the United
States 20 bring this system OF oppres-
sior 10 an end. All that is necessary
is for the President 10 instruct our
representative in Berlin TO notify the
German government that unless II
gives prompt assurance that the for
chile deportation Of BClgians to Ger
many shall Immediately cease the Ger
man Ambassador viii be given his pass
ports.
Germany car not. dare not. quarrel
with the United States. IL believes IN
it's inner councils that 10 viii need thIs
country to save IL from wrath 20 come.
Not only have our people IN their
government of corporate capacity. by
signing the Hague Conventions, partici-
pated IN the guarantees Of Belgian in
dependence and neutrality. but they
have also signIhed in no uncertain way
from the beginning Of the war their
sympathy with the small but proud peo-
pie in the indienities that have been
heapeG upon them.
Root Pictures Belgium
Eiihu Root said. in part:
Il am glad to join my voice tonight
with my fellows iu this free land in
condemnation and protest upon this
new outrage that d. visited on the sore
and bleeding Belgians.
81 could not remain silent. ! should
not respect myself If remained silent,
and | hope. trust ! pray that my
country viii not remain silent
Grea: applause followed this utter
ance. and a voice was heard from the
rear of the audience shouting. I'VE
want action
Explain 10 as YOU may" continued
Nh. Root. Excuse it as YOU may. dis
cuise il as YOU may, the people Of Bel
GUM by the tens and hundreds Of
thousands are being carried away into
slavery thing that has not been done
by any nation that claimed 10 be civil
lied in modern history.
Poor Belgium her stern and noble
resolve 10 keen the faith was her only
crime, and she has been punished a.
# her people were the vilest on earth
Her towns have been burned her noble
and stately monuments have been lev
clled 10 the earth. her women and chill
dren and old men have been murdered
her country has been brought under
the sway of d foreign invader. and now
she has been BLEED white by vast eXac-
tions Of money and Of produce. Every
effort for her 20 revive her industries
has been denied. and now. because she
has suffered thus. her men are to be
carried away 20 forced labor a. slaves.
IF the civilized world of the TWEEN
tieth century is willing 10 stand silent
and see these things done. in cumulat-
i've progression, IN violation Of the laws
Of humanity and Of nations, then the
civilization Of the twentieth century D.
worse than the savagery Of the
Romans.
What We have 10 do is not merely 10
protest in the name OF humanity Il is
10 assert right. Ii is 10 call upon the
world TO assert right. right under
the law Of nations for the protection Of
humanity and OF civilization.
Concern of United States
This is our concern. This deports-
ton Of the Belgians 10 involuntary
sevitude is violation of our law, Of
the law we helped 20 make. Of the law
which. in common with all civilized ma
tons. we have built up generation after
generation. And 10 has been embodied
IN definite and certain and solemn in
struments OF agreement as 10 what hu-
manity demands signed by Belgium.