Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-12-13
APPEAL COMES From HOLLAND.
Conditions in Belgium characterized
az "Iiellisii ScOurgc."

London, Dec. 11.--The Associated
Press has received from Amsterdam
an appeal to the American people"
on behalf Of the Belgians, by the
Holland section Of tho league of neu-
trail States The appeal is signed by
President Niemcycr and Secretaries
Dclafaillc and watch. 1t follows:
"Your President has said that
sooner or later 4 moment would come
when the war would make the posi-
ton Of neutral nations unbearablc.
FOR us lIollandcrs that moment has
nrrivcd--.not through our own SUI
icringS, but because we cannot lon
ger paGsivrIy contemplate the ghastly
suffering inflicted by Germany upon
Belgium, our nciShDor.
'"rhc eloquent protests OF the Bel
gian government and Of the higher
clergy have acquainted you ith the
facts. 4 glance at the section Of The
Hague regulations OF 1907. which
deals with the law Of war on land.
will make it obvious to you that the
sole reason why the prohibition OF
this modern slave dealing was not in
cludcd was because no delegate i'm
agincd it could ever be necessary. In
deed. one must turn to the history
OF the early ages OF long past centu-
rics before international law existed
to fnd a parallel to the cnSlarinS o!
the Btlgians. The Hague regulations
stipulatc that the honor and rights
OF the family must be respected, but
the German Govcrncmnt deliberately
dragS the Belgian families apart. TO
us this cruelty is more vivid every
day. Every day numbers Of fugi-
tivcs. in spite OF the deadly electric
wire which the Germans have erected
along tho frontier. succeed in cscap-
inE to The Netherlands. From them
We learn the painful details Of the
unutterablc despair Of the women
and children who are left behind and
Of the agoniZing scenes which take
place when husbands. brothers and
sons are dragged from their homes
and women folk are packed into cat
tie and freight ears and thus trans
uorted slaves. TO az unknown dcSti-
nation and to an unknown fate.
"T0 put an end to thiS---to arrest
this hclliSh ScourSc, which at this
moment laccratrs the whole OF
Nort thcrn France and Western Rus
Sia-~thcrc is hut one way open. and
that is collectiv" action on the part
OF the neutral nations.
mighticSt OF the neutral States, it is.
in our opinion. the right and duty to
take the leadership urOn you. Only
il you place yourselves at our head
can any success crown our EFFORTS.
This tyranny is not to be borne in
paticncc. and the neutral nations can
no LONGER stand idly by while in
Western Europe the most primitive
laws OF humanity, observed even by
| unriviliAcd races, arc tiamplpd under
| loot.
I'VE appeal to you to urge your
government to cncrEetic and decisive
action and to call upon the other
! neutral nations to rally around you.
| That they will find faith and strength
i'm your leadership is evidenced by
| the stream Of messages expressive OF
sympathy and a desire to cooperate
which have reached us from the mo-
mcnt We published our intention to
make this appeal to the American
| people. We do not hesitate to take
it upon ourselves to speak with firm
conviction in the name Of humanity.
and our hone is firmly fixed on that
sense OF Justice which has always
formed one Of the most cherished
traditions Of citizens Of the United
that you will not disappoint our cN-
pcctationS."
Protest Meeting Friday.
New York. Dee. 1l.--The situa-
tion affecting the deportation OF Bel
gians by the Germans is daily more
tragical" and the minds OF Belgians
are turned toward America and
President Wilson. according to
cable message received by Pierre
Mali, Belgian consul here, from Car
ton de Wiart. Bclgium's minister OF
Justice.
The dispatch dated yesterday at
llavrc. was made public to-day by the
committee OF citizens which is ar
ranging a meeting to be held in Car
ncgic Hall Friday night to protest
against the "enslarement Of Bel
gianS'