Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-09
AMERICAN PLEA
TO KAISER Vain
Germans Assert Deportation
of Belgians Military Neces-
sity; Will Not Stop.
WILSON'S NOTE MADE PUBLIC
"Violation of Principles of HUI
manity," Charge; U. S.
May Publish Facts.

WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-The Amer
lean governments formal protest to
Germany against the deportation Of
Belgians for forced labor as a viola
ton of the principles OF humanity was
made public today 10y the state depart
ment. 1t was IN the form of a note
cabled to Charge Grew at Berlin with
Instructions that he seek an interview
with the German chancellor and read
it to him and was given out by the de-
rartment with the .erse comment:
The interview has taken place"
officials refused to add to this
statement and so far as could be
learned tonight there has been no re-
ply from Germany. All information
available, however, indicates that the
doportations are continuing and it is
knowr that thru earlier informal rep
rCser tations charge Grew learned that
the German position was that the
policy was military necessity and
not in violation of international law
May Publish Information.
With the failure Of Americas ef-
forts as well as those of Spain, Hoi
land and the vatican, the only action
which officials here apparently be-
lievo this country can AXE is the full
publication of the facts in its possess
sion. Admittedly diplomatic proceed
ure fas been exhausted The United
States does not represent Belgium at
Berlin and Is declared by officials to
have gone even beyond the conven-
tional diplomatic rights in the matter
The American note was put on the
cable November 29, the night of the
day Ambassador Gerard saw President
Wilson preparatory to his return to
Berlin and the night he Associated
Press announced Jha. the United
States had made further representa-
tons on its own behalf or the broad
grounds of humanity.
Text of Note.
Its text follows:
go The government of the United
States has learned with the greatest
concern and regret of the policy of the
German government to deport from
Belgium a portion of the civilian
population for the purpose of forcing
them to labor in Germany and is con-
strained to protest in a friendly spirit,
but most solemnly against this action,
which is in contravention of all pre-
cedents and of those humane princi-
pies of international practice which
have long been accepted and followed
by civilized nations in their treatment
of noncombatants.
Furthermore, the government of
the United States Is convinced that
the effect of this policy. if pursued,
will in all probability be fatal to the
Belgian relief work so humanely
planned and so successfully carried
out, a result which would be gener-
ally deplored and which it is assumed
would seriously embarrass the Ger
man government
The interview has taken place.
No Results Secured.
The Belgian deportations, which
first began months ago, assumed Sc
riousness last August when official re-
ports to the department indicated their
wholesale extent Charles Grew dis
cussed the matter with the then I'm
der Secretary Zimmerman on several
occasions, but without result. On Oc-
tober 26 he was directed to take 1t
up personally with the Chancellor Won
Bethamnn-H Hollweg, an unusual pro-
cedure. and to say what an unfortun-
ate effect the continuance of the de-
portatior would have on neutral
opinion, particularly in America
which country had the interests Of
Belgian civilization very much at
heart
Charge Grew reported that the
of the case. but had offered neither
explanation nor promise. Thereupon
a series of conferences followed in
Washington between President Wilson,
Secretary Lansing, Ambassador Ge-
rard and Col. f. NJ. House, with the
result that formal protest was dis
patched
Belgium Appeals to L. 8.
During that time also Belgium had
protested officially to this government
and requested active Intervention on
the basis OF statements made that over
100, 900 persons had been deported to
Germany and that the daily rate was
nearly three thousand. England later
issued an official statement which in
some quarters was interpreted as
threatening the discontinuance of
American relief work unless the de-
portations ceased
Information in the hands of the de-
partment confirms press dispatches
and statements of the Belgian and
British governments, showing that
whole sections of Belgium have been
Systematically stripped of workmen.