Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-14
Complete Text Of
Cardinal MERCER s
'Deportations Protest


no fault of their own, and largely on
account Of the regime Of the occupa-
ton. Sons, husbands. and fathers of
families. they bear their unhappy lot
without murmuring, respectful Of pub
lie order: national solidarity provides
their most pressing wants; by dint of
unselflsh thrift and self denial they e.
cape extreme restitution. and they
await with dignity and in a mutual at
fection which our national sorrows
have intensified, the end of our COM
mon ordeal.
Groups Of soldiers introduced them
selves forcibly in the homes of these
people. tearing the young people out of
the arms of their parents, the husband
from his wife, the father from his chill
dren. at the point of the bayonet they
block the entrances to the homes pre-
venting wives and mothers from rush
ing 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 locomotive is I'M
der pressure, and as soon as a train
load Is ready, an officer gives the sig
nal and they depart. Thus another
thousand Belgians reduced to slavery,
without previous trial, condemned to
the penalty which comes next in cruel
ty 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 en-
envy. Several of them have been
brought to signify coercion or by
thrp3tS-1n ioh
dare to call voluntary
While they certainly take the I'M
employed. they also take a large num-
BERN the proportion of one quarter
for the ACCOMPLISHMENT 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 Empire
had formally guaranteed the liberty of
our compatriots.
The day after the capitulation of
Antwerp. the frightened populAce
asked itself what would become of the
Belgians of military age or those which
would arrive at that age before the
end OF the siege. Baron Won Huene.
Military Governor of Antwerp, author
lzed me to reassure in his name the
frightened parents. However, as ru-
mors were running that in Antwerp.
Llege, Namur and Charleroi, young
men had been seized and forcibly car
rleo on TO Germany, I asked Governor
Won Huene to confirm to me in writ
ing the verbal guarantees which he
nao given me. He replied that the ru-
hors pertaining to deportations were
Wltnout foundation, and he gave me
without hesitancy the written declara-
tlon which was read on Sunday. Oc-
tooer 18th, 1914, in all the parochial
churches of the ACCOMPLISHMENT OF Ant
"erp: Young men need not fear NJ
oelng carried off to Germany, either for
enrolment in the army, or for forcthla
employment
Immediately after the arriva, NJ
Baron Won der Goltz in the capacitv NJ
HoVernor-General at Brussels. went
10 ask him to ratify the guarantees
given by Governor Won Huene - 49,
Providence Of Antwerp. extendins tha..s
49,; ~ me wnole country, without any time
.. Inc Governor General retained
-. pe'itioh IN order to consider It at
MS leisure. The following day he was
sooo enough to come in person to Ma.
Ihes 10 express his approval. and in
'ie presence or two aides-de-camn and
VI my private secretary, to confirm tho
that the liberty Of the Belgian
would be respected.
In my letter Of Oct. 18th last n p,r-
On Won kissing, after reminding him
VI the Undertaking given by his med
ecessor I concluded: Your Exce,laro,,
WI understand how painful the bur.
ueh OF responsibility should have In.
cured towards families would he ~ ~.
eoh'ioence they placed in you tbroueb
,ne anu al my earnest entreaty should
DE SO lamentably disappointed.
me Governor General replied. .r,a
OF the Belgian unemn,ov.d
=. germany, which has only been iri-
'1ateo after two years of war dieors
q. ii'ialiy from the captivity of mon
~ ior military service. Moreover tho
MEASURE is not related to the conduct
- 'iie war properly speaking. but II i,
ae.eilnined by social and economic
AS II the word of an bonest NOV
was terminable at the end of a ys.r
~ AS II the declaration Confirmed
~ !sia ala not explicitly exclude ho4h
operations and forced labor,
40 H. IN fine every Belgian workno.n
wiz taxes the place of q German uorl,
uiu not enable the latter to All
l . zap IN the German Army.
we, the shepherds of these sh,.
VINO are torn from us by brut., fa
luil OF anguish, at the thoupbt ~ 49,
nofal ana religious isolation. in wb,nh
Imey are about to languish. imnotant
Witnesses of the grief and terror in tho
numerous homes shattered or threot
1l1u, appeal to all souls, believers mr.
In Allied Countries q, 49,,
lrai countries, and even in enan,,,
Countries, who have a respect for hu.
nan dignity. -'' no-
when Cardinal Lavigerie embarkea
"a MS enslavery campaign Pope Len
81 as nc blessed his mission. re-
marked: Opinion is more than evor
ne queen of the world. It Is on tbis
'ou must work. You will only conquer
~ means of opinion
May Divine Providence deior - g.,
'pire all who have any authorize ~,
VINO are masters Of speech and No., -.