Arizona republican., 1916-12-18
CARDINAL MERCIER'S PROTEST
 AGAINST bELC|AN DEPORTATION

net they block the entrances to the homes preventing wives and mothers from rushing out to say last farewell to them; they align the captives in groups of forty or fifty and push them forcibly into freight cars; the locomo- tive is under pressure. and as soon as a train load is ready, an officer gives the signal and they depart Thus an other thousand Belgians are reduced to slavery, without previous trial con demned to the penalty which comes next in cruelty to the death penalty: deportation. They don't know how long their exile is going to last, neither do they know where they are going. All they know is that their work will benefit the enemy. Several of them have been brought to sign--by coercion or by threats-an engagement which they dare to call voluntary
 While they certainly take the un- employed, they also take a large num- ber-in the proportion of ne-quarter for the Arrondissement of Mons-of men who were never out of work and belonging to diversified professions butchers, bakers. tailors, brewery workers. electricians, farmers; they even take the youngest men. college and university students or young men from other high schools
 This in spite of the fact that two high authorities of the German Elm pire had formally guaranteed the lib- erty of our compatriots.
 'The day after the equalization of Antwerp. the frightened populace asked itself what would become of the Belgians of military age or those who would arrive at that age before the end of the siege. Baron von Huene> military governor of Antwerp. author ized me 10 reassure in his name the Frightened parents.
 However. as rumors were running that In Antwerp. Liege. Namur and Charleroi. young men had been seized and forcibly carried off to Gerrnarv asked Governor von Huene to confirm te me in writing the verbal guarantees which he had given me. He replied mat the rumOrs pertaining tO depor- tauons were without foundation. and ne gave me without hesitancy the writ ten declaration which was read on Sunday. October 18th. 1914. in all the parochial churches of the Arrondisse- ment of Antwerp: Young men need not fear of being carried off to Ger many. either for enrolment in the army. or for forcible employment
 Immediately after the arrival of Baron von der Goitz in the capacity of governor general at Brussels. I went to ask him to ratify the guarantees gwen by Governor von Huene to the province of Antwerp. extending them ! 10 the whole country, without time | limit The governor general retained my petition in order to consider it at his leisure The following day he was 1 Eood enough io come in person to Ma ! lines to express his approval and in | the presence Of two aides de camp md my private secretary. to confirm the promise that the liberty of the Belgian /, citizens would be respected
 Tn my letter of October 18th last to Baron von Bissing. after reminding nm or the undertaking given by his predecessor l concluded: Your Ex- eeilency will understand how painful the burden of responsibility I should have incurred towards families would De 1T the confidence they placed in you through me and at my earnest entreaty should be so lamentably dfeappolnfed
 The governor general replied The
 employment of the Belgian unemployed
 Tn Germary. which has only been in-
 itiated after two years of war. differs
 essentially from the captivity of ner
 fit for military service Moreover Inc
 measure is not related to the conduct
 Of the war properly speaking. but it is
 determined by social and economic
 causes
 "As if the word of an honest mar
 was terminable al the end of a ve5,
 or two, As if the declaration con.
 firmed in 1914 did not explicitly ex.
 elhde both military operations anc
 forced labor As if. in fine. ever, ' Belgian workman who takes the plac,
 oi German workman. did not enab bl, army,
 We. the shepherds of these sheer who are torn from us by brutal force
 fnil Of anguish. at the thought of tho
 moral and religious isolation, in whici they are about to languish. impotent witnesses of the grief and terror in tho
 numerous homes shattered or threat.
 ened. appeal to all souls. believers o,
 unbelieyers in allied countries 1T neutral countries. and even in enem,
 countries. who have a respect fo, . human dignity
 . When Cardinal Lavlgerie embarked on ms enslavery campaign Pope Lee XIII. as he blessed his mission. re. marked: Opinion is more than eve, the queen of the world It is on thi,
 you must work. You will only conoue, oy means of opinion
 May Divine Providence deign tc
 inspire all who have any authorit, all who are masters of speech and pen
 to rally around our humble Belgian Tag Tor the abolition of European slavery.
 May human conscience triumn,
 over all sophisms and remain stead. lastly faithful to the great precept o , St Ambrose: Honour above every.
 thlng. Nihil praeferendum honestati
 Tn the name of the Belgian bishops , ID. J. CARDINAL MERGER. |, Archbishop of Malines."