Fergus County Democrat., 1916-12-14

BERLIN, Dec. l3.-(By wireless to
Sayville.) Germany's reply to the in
quiries of the United States into the
matter Of the Belgian unemployed and
the deportation Of Relgians Is publish
ed today in the Norddeutsche Allge-
meine Heitung and is given out by the
Overseas News Agency as follows:
THE government OF the United
States Of America has protested
against their compulsory employment
for work. basing this on the view that
these measures are In contravention OF
humane principles and OF international
practice as to the treatment of the
population in occupied territory. The
German government thinks that the
government OF the United States has
been Incorrectly informed regarding
the cause and the execution of the
measures and therefore considers 1t
appropriate first to explain the facts
in detail.
in Belgium unemployment for a
considerable time has been extending
in a perpeXing fashion among the In
dustrial. WOrkingmen. This preva-
lence Of unemployment has been
caused by the English policy OF iso-
lation which has cut Off Belgian indus
| try from the importation of raw mate
rial and the expectation OF manufac-
tured goods and has thus brought the
greater part Of Belgian industry to Il
standstill.
| "By this measure almost half OF
the workingmen in Belgian factories
numbering altogether, In round num-
bers, to 100000, were deprived of
the possibility of earning living, and
many more than half million Bel.
gians. who formerly supported them
selves by Industrial work were made
dependent upon public relief. Adding
the members of their families this
number Is Increased three-f fold or, In
round figures, 100000 persons.
| From the standpoint OF the Belgian
economic right, upon which the un-
| employed intiict IA heavy burden, as
also from the standpoint of public or
der and public morals which are most
dangerously affected by general unem-
plOyment and the accompanying con-
sequences, this situation makes 1t ex-
tremely desirable and urgent that eff.
iicient measures for Improvement be
taken. This necessity has been recOg-
niZed and pointed out also by fair.
minded Belgians for long time.
-Under such conditions the gov
ernor general of Brussels on May Is,
1916, issued an order by which upon
persons enjoying public relief and de-
clining without adequate reasons to
accept or to continue to do work cor
responding to the abilities. confine-
ment or cOercive labor was imposed.
Belgian industries being In a de-
pressed condition. 1t was impossible
to procure for all the unemployed
work, or at least proper employment
within Belgium itself. The only thing
possible. therefore. was to assign them
to work In Germany where large
number of Belgian WOrkingmen had
already voluntarily accepted work.
were well fed, were receiving high
wages and were enjoying far-reaching
liberty of movement. For those work.
ingmen. however. that did not support
their families, coercive labor was
used.
"These measures are completely in
accordance with international law, for
according to The Hague convention re-
lating to war on land paragraph 43)
the occupying power is obliged to un-
dertake the maintenance of public or.
der and public life in occupied dis.
tricts and for this purpose as far as
the country's laws prove insufficient,
to act by complemental orders. The
maintenance of public order without
doubt implies that able-bodied persons
as far as possible are not to be thrown
upon public charity, and by idleness
become public calamity and nuis.
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