Bisbee daily review., 1916-08-19
REMOVAL OF FRENCH
 FROM THEIR HOMES
 HAS GERMAN ANSWER
Correspondent of Associated Press Investigates Allega- tions of French and British of Germans Treatment.

un, ana LOn0On, Aug. 1l.-On account of the protests of France against for cible removal by German authorities of inhabitants of French cities in the occupied area and representations that hardships have resulted a correspond ent of the Associated Press investigat- ed the reports.
 The German authorities afforded ev- cry facility for the inquiry and exami nation of official documents on the subject. The proclamation posted by the Germans in Lille, Rubaix and Fur coing said that since the English blockade made the problem of feeding the population of Belgium and the oc 3upied part of France daily more diff ficult and since call to agricultural workers by the German authorities had not been answered, the Germans were obliged to move to the country certain parts of the poulation. The permission proclamation was posted )n April 20 and midnight of April "A he German troops reused the inhabi- ants in certain quarters of the three rOnt of their houses. Officers then picked persons for transportation:
 Males of military age or able bodied lales who were not engaged in fixed Tades or other occupations; whole antilles were unemployed and without financial support and unemployed fe- males. In all cases the instructions were to select persons familiar with lgriculture or suited for it. The wom- n were to do the cooking for the men, 1T to work for French country fami- ies who needed assistance around the louse, in minding babies or doing lther tasks.
 German officers in charge of the transportation admit that mistakes ere made in good many instances, ut these have since been rectified. lore than 2,000 men and women are aid to have returned to their home owns since the transportation move ient began. Nearly 21000 persons ere removed from their homes. hose taken were told they would ave ninety minutes in which to pack ) pounds of household utensils and lothing. At the expiration of that me they were taken to the railroad tation at 12 o'clock in the morning nd were examined as to the fitness )r farm work. They were then per litted to return to their homes with rders to return to the station at o'clock in the afternoon to take thrains )r their destinations.
 The correspondent visited four faces from which parts of the popu- ation had been taken. Three were rillages in eastern France and one was amp for males of military age. In he first village the leader of those rho had been removed had many com laints. He said the people he rep esented were not suited for farm la ,or and that French farmers did not Ike to employ them for that reason. Ie asserted that the food was insuf- icient and that the fare was mOnoto- ous. In one house the correspondent alked with one of three girls. She aid their treatment had been good but he villagers had not employed them. they were not earning money and 7ere living on rations allowed them the German authorities.
 In the next village the correspond
 nt talked with five young men aged rom IS to 9 years. They said they yere earning their full keep in addi- on to from one to three francs day. The food was good they said and their uarters were comfortable. In the anne house there was a man suffer ng from rheumatism who under -eatment of German medical aUthori- ies. He was allowed forty pfennings ally. The president of the village old the correspondent that it was his ,pinion that the move was good so ar as the men were concerned. An internment camp for males of military age was next visited. The l nen were employed at a saw mill and cutting wood in a nearby forest, arning on an average of one mark, ixty pfennings daily and their board. Vorkmen on piece work were earn l 1g up 70 five marks daily. The cor l espondent visited the kitchen and l ound the food to be of good quality | The next village contained large lumber of persons employSi m farm lg and in saw mill
 In most Of the places visited the | hief complaint of those removed was | or the hardship due to separation
 rom their families and their inabili- Y to reach relatives by mail. It was
 earned the Germans permitted letters l O be sent only through the German | led Cross al Frankiorton- Main,
 mich resulted in many delays.
 A German officer said the removals
 we're without a political motive so
 ar as he knew, though the town and
 istrict from which persons were talk
 n had given considera5ie trouble in past. several bad fires having occur
 aN.