Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-23
DEPORTAT|ONS Of
BElG|ANS MARKED
BY P|T|FUL SCENES
Women HurI Themselves Upon
Railway Tracks In Vain Ef-
fort to Delay Removal
of Loved Ones.
THOUSANDS SENT AWAY
Those Who Refuse to Go Pun.
Depart For
Germany Singing Nation
al Battle Hymn.
THOUSANDS SENT AWAY

The Hague. (via London). Nov. 20
The number of Belgians deported by
the Germans UP to date, according to
information given the Associated Press
from a reliable source, apparently is
between 80 900 and 40, 900, and they are
being deported at the rate of about g.
600 daily.
Antwerp, it was said, has been com
manded te furnish $4,000, which prob
ably Is no more han 10 per cent of it's
able bodied population, but the COM
mune of Lessines has lost more than
1000 from a total population. including
women n children, Of 1000, repre-
senting virtually every able bodied man
excepting officials.
The entire Belgian population, the
narrator said, is terrorized because the
people realize they are entirely help
less. Crowds Of hysterical women and
children gather at the railway and re-
cruiting stations and many women at
Jamappes threw themselves on tho
rails to prevent the departure OF a
train of emigrants and had to be for
chilly removed by German soldiers. The
men are frequently loaded into cattle
cars and spend one or two days on the
journey. They are strongly determined
to refuse to work, believing that If they
are not employed in military works
they Will be compelled to replace Ger
mans and be forced to work directly or
indirectly against the Belgian army n
Its allies. The deported men in trains
passing through Liege are declared to
nave been heard singing the Marseil-
Iaise n other patriotic airs.
Frenchmen Punished.
The newspapers report a case near
Vallencines Of so F%renchmen who, I'M
pressed by the Germans, refused to
work. and are declared to have been
tied to posts for 4S hours. until half Of
them tainted from hardship and
hunger.
Many prominent Belgians are report
ed not to have hesitated to risk their
liberty by the strongest Of protests to
the German authorities against the de-
porations. Various official bodies have
drafted resolutions of protest and the
senators and deputies of Antwerp and
Hainault provinces have taken especi-
ally strong action in the premises and
are said to be daily expecting deporta-
ton.
Neutrals in Belgium, especially the
ministers are receiving many appeals
to try and induce their governments to
Intervene. The newspaper La Ltbre
Belgique which has maintained a wide
circulation throughout Belgium for
more than a year despite the alleged ef-
forts of the Germans to discover it's
authors and suppress the sheet, has
published a special number containing
an appeal to the neutral nations.
Can Remit Wages.
The officers deputed for the enrollr
ment of the worknen are said to pay
visits to various towns and order the
assembly at the railway stations of vir-
tually all males under heavy penalties
for refusal to comply. The wording of
the notices varies in the different sec
tons of Belgium and northern France.
One notice posted in northern France
gives assurances that the men will not
be employed under continuous fire. The
Antwerp order notifies students to
bring their books and musicians their
Instruments. The authorities promise
the men good wages, and liberty tc
remit money from Germany to their
antilles in Belgium. All of them are
offered an opportunity to sign a vol
untary agreement to work. They are
informed. it was said, that if they re-
fuse to sign they will be treated worse,
but virtually all refuse to do SC.
Wherever the males assemble for de-
p%ortation, doctors examine them and
h physically unfit are eliminated. to-
gether with municipal and relief Off
Gals. Those without regular employ
ment are the first selected for depor-
tation.
After Skilled Workers.
~ o0JSSS w ~ oCpOl O.
tions, it was said. appears to be - Sc
cure skilled workers. Men regularly
employed have been enrolled from sew
eral communes. A large number was
taken at Jamappes from factories
which were running, and were self sup
porting, and bank employees were i'm
pressed at Mons. The relief organiza-
ton at Luxembourg province was carry
ing on public work and giving en-
ployment to many men, but the works
stopped a month ago., n the laborers
thus rendered unemployed are being
deported.
Despite the statements credited to
German officers that the deported men
will not be employed in military work.
the BelgiaIs are declared to fear the
contrary is it has been reported that
large bodies of men hav been taken to
northern Franc and employed in cut
ting timbers for trenches and that
others in northern Belgium have been
forced tn 1iO franchaS