Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-10

them would be returned to Belgium,
Reclamations 10 this end it was de-
clared, were acted upon and the de-
ported persons involved have already
been returned or We're returning to
their homes in Belgium.
1t was further suggested that the
measure should not be applied to the
heads of families, but it was pointed
out that it was impossible to make a
general rule to this effect, as fathers
of families were often the ones
through whom destitution in the alb
sence of steady work or steady wages.
was most seriously felt but the chan4
cellor promised a modification of the
order in cases Of special hardship.
The third point was that employees
Of the Belgian relief commission
should not be deported. This, Of
course, was granted, as they were not
regarded as unemployed,
A further objection was lodged
against the arrest Of Belgian officials
for refusing to deliver lists of unem-
ployed. Discrimination of this was
granted, but it is now pointed out that
complaints on that scope were largely
exaggerated, only one Belgian mayor
having been arrested for this reason,
while he already has been set at lib
erty.
The request for permission for neu-
tral representatives to visit deported
workmen and for postal facilities for
Ideported men to correspond with their
families was granted.
In official quarters Germanys po-
sition is reflected to the correspond
ent Of the Associated Press as fol-
lows:
over and again It has been reiterat-
ed here that the United states and
the neutral world in general seems
to have a distorted picture Of the Bel
gian deportation question, basing their
views on information from enemy
sources, generahzng from blunders
which are admitted to have occurred
and ignoring the spirit in which, as
the chancelor's reply contends, the
German government is determined to
apply the measure. To certain eX-
tent at least it is represented, the
reasons leading the government to put
the measure into effect have been
misunderstood.
Reference also is made to the mill
tary aspects of the question. Not the
least OF lutSC tOllbllti dllpli0i It - s'''i'i
is the ever present possibility of an
attempt at the landing of a military
force in Belgium, in which case
dangerous menace to the German
troops would be presented by the
presence in the field of poreations and
the immediate rear of the German de-
fenseA of large assemblage of able
bodied adults who already have shown
a disposition to make trouble As is
usually the case in war; military
reasons prevailed.
As to the allegation that deported
workmen would be forced to labor on
munitions work, it is asserted in Of
ficial quarters that there is not the
slightest foundation therefor. As a
matter of fact, Germany is now OBJ
tanning all the workmen needed for
this purpose. The protest based on
the promise to the Dutch consul at
Antwerp just after the surrender Of
the city, that Belgians would not be
deported is being seriously considered,
While the obligation was assumed un-
der the universal supposition in Ger
many that the war would be over in
d few mouths and that Il was impos-
sihle that such conditions as exist to-
day, should arise. the obligation still
exists and certain concessions may be
made to meet this situation.