Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-11-25
bELG|ANS' HEARTS
ARE MADE TO BLEED
Cabinet Member Declares De-
portation of Men to Ger
many Is Agonizing. =,
HAGUE PACT IS BROKEN

By the Associated Press.
HAVRE, November 24.-Emile Wander
velde, minister of munitions in the BEL
gian cabinet and president Of the execu-
tive committee Of the International Asso-
citation Of Socialists, has written to the
members Of tho committee concerning the
deporttaions of Belgian worldngmen to
Germany as follows:
1--WE might have believed that after
submitting to invasion with its violences
and occupation with its miseries our peo-
pie had suffered all that people could
suffer, but worse was still to come. De-
spairing of being able to keep that which
1t had taken in disregard of its faith and
it's word, the German government appears
determined to treat the Belgians as the
conquered were treated in the age of
Assyria and Babylon.
Deportations Agonizing.
1--WE receive every day at Havre mes
sages which make our hearts bleed. The
deportation in Flanders, at Charleroi. at
Mons and in the largest part of the coun-
try are more numerous and agonizing.
The men are of every age and condition.
"They are gathered up. herded and
numbered like cattle and taken as cap
tives into other provinces, into northern
France and into Germany without their
kindred knowing where they are being
taken. They are forced to make fortifi-
cations, to construct strategic railways,
to make cement and other materials used
in building trenches or to replace in
other work laborers who are being sent
to the front or into munition works"
Cites Hague Convention.
Minister vandervelde said that the Bel
gian minister at The Hague telegraphed
on November II that more than 100000
Belgians had already been deported and
that the German authorities had posted
orders in Brussels announcing that the
deportation of men from the capital would
commence November Is. In his letter
the Belgian socialist leader cites an ar
ticle of The Hague convention in 1907
prohibiting belligerents from forcing
enemy nationals to participate in opera
tons of war against their country.
Baron Won Huehne. the military
governor of Antwerp" the letter con-
tinues. authorized the Cardinal of
Malines. in October. 1914. to say to the
populations who fear to re-enter Bel
GUM: Youths need not fear that they
will be sent into Germany nor enrolled
in the army nor employed in forced
labor. Field Marshal Won der GoltZ,
and after him Gov. Gen. Won Kissing,
made additional agreements. Neverthe-
less. today, regardless of indignant
protests, the German military author
ity organizes a civil CONSUMPTION of
Belgians against their country and for
the benefit of the enemy.
General Protests Registered.
Before this crime. not one neutral
power has thought it advisable to keep
silent. The Pope has protested. Hol-
land. Spain and the United States have
protested. If the International does
not protest in it's turn our enemies
will have reason to believe it is dead"
NJ. Vandervelde goes on to say that
only part of those deported are with
out work "On the other hand, 900
persons in Belgium are now without
work" the letter concludes. IF half
the population must resort to the as
sistance of the others 1t is because the
Germans. after having invaded our
| country, have ravaged. devastated. OPP
pressed and heaped up acquisitions.
| confiscations and fines; because they
| have taken and are taking into Ger
many machinery and materials and be-
cause they forbid municipalities to en-
| ploy their inhabitants on public works.
1t is because an immense majority of
prefer to endure all-death. privation.
prison-rather than to leave the soil
of their country"