Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-21
GERMANY'SDEFENSE
/ OF DECORATIONS
Compulsory Employment Of
BeIgians Regarded as a
+! Social Necessity.
ALL RECEIVE AMPLE PAY

Deportation and compulsory employ
Snent of Belgian worknen are vigorously
defended by the German government in
3 memorial which has been presented
- the State Department by the German
embassy. The text of the document.
which also has been delivered to the
foreign offices of other neutral govern
nents. follows:
1.-THE compulsory employment of Bel
eian workmen in German establish
ments is being seized upon by our
enemies as a welcome opportunity for
tnfaming public opinion in the neutral
and hostile countries against this al
legged latest violation of the Belgian
people. This effort at arousing senti-
nnent against Germany is threatening
to assume considerable proportions, and
It may even be considered probable
that the entente will attempt to move
neutral governments or high person
ages in neutral countries to make
Formal protest. 1t seems, therefore.
necessary. to prevent one-slded JudS-
ment on this question from pelng
formed, to elucidate the causes and the
effects of the measures to which eX-
ception is being taken.
Those who are far removed from
She war theaters. and can therefore
form only superficial opinion OF the
conditions obtaining in the occupied
territories in the west. may not, per-
haps, readily understand that the meas
ures which have been adopted are not
only in no wise detrimental to the
population from an economic point OF
view, but that they have become, as IL
were, a social necessity in view OF the
peculiar conditions which prevail there
Those who wish to comprehend these
facts will first of all have to gam
clear conception of the extent OF un-
employment in Belgium and its conse-
Quences. The principa. cause fer TINS
unemployment is to be found in the
ruthless application of the British
blockade even as against beIgium. beia
gian industries are dependent on the
importation of raw materials ana the
expectation of manufactured goods to
such an extent that the almost COM
plete throttling of Belgium foreign
trade by England was bound to lead
automatically to the closing down OF
by far the greater part of the Belgian
factories This is especially true OF
the important iron and steel industry.
the textile and clothing industries, the
ceramic and glass Industries, which
altogether employ over half million
workmen in peace times; 1t is also true
of the leather. tobacco. paper and
chemical industries.
Fishing Industry Ceases.
completely as a result of the blockade
A number of other enterprises had to
close down because the materials en-
ployed, as well as their transportation.
had become so dear that they were
working at a loss: this happened. for
example, in the building industry
(which in peace time employs $4,000
workers) and in the wood and furni-
ture industry (Which normally en-
ploys 1000 workers),, That the lmpor-
tant mining industry is still able 10
employ nine-tenths of it's $4,000 work,
ers is due solely to the extensive coal
exports to Germany: similarly, the
ouarries employ one-third of their for
mer working force of $4,000, chiefly In
order to fill German orders.
at is frequently asserted in Belgium
that German acquisitions of raw mate
rails and machinery had considerably
increased the lack of employment This
assertion is not in accordance with the
facts because these acquisitions were
made chiefly in such factories as, for
one or another of the reasons enume-
rated, were unable to continue at work.
"Due to the aforementioned causes
It has come about that out of 100000
men and women who before the war
were working in Belgian industrial es-
tablishments. comprising approximate
ly one-half of the total population OF
Belgium engaged in gainful pursuits.
end are totally unemployed, while 15O,-
900 Cincluding $4,000 women) are only
partially employed. Thus in all $4,000
persons who formerly were earning
their living as industrial workers are
now dependent on public charity. II.
moreover. $4,000 wives and $4,000
children of the unemployed are added,
the figure rises to 1.560.oo0 people in
need of assistance = approximately
one-fifth of the total Belgian popula-
tion.
Economic and Social Evils Likely.
''It is obvious that in a highly develop
ed industrial country like Belgium the
conditions described. which are without
parallel in history. must of necessity lead
to the gravest economic and social evils
The sums so far expended in procuring
the minimum subsistence for the unem-
ployed and their dependents reach a tota
OF 200. O00. 600 francs. and they promise il
future TO amount to no less than 10000. 600
francs monthly. And although foreign
countries undertook to finance this relic
WORK, in the last analysis the burden
must be borne by the national economy o
Belgium Not only are the values thus
unproductiyey expended a total loss Il
Belgium's economic life, but they also df
Il much harm. Owing to the relief grant
ed them, the workers are tempted int
continued idleness. with the result tina
today Belgian employers with diff
Guilty able to obtain the workmen neces
aary to keep their concerns going.
in view of the great number Of the I'm
employed. this fact throws into strons
relief the economic evils which have
arisen in Belgium because OF unemploy
ment. But from the social point OF view
the present state of affairs must be char
acterized absolutely intolerable. If th'
consequences are considered, which per
manent idleness is bound to produce
y among the laboring people themselves. /
is self-evident that the skilled worke
will. in course of years, lose his skill
through lack of practice. and his useful
ness TO Belgian industry after the wa
will therefore be considera bly, diminished
Likewise. the Unskiled worker. accus
toned TO regular expenditure of energy
will deteriorate physically through pro
longcG idieneSs. Morally, the continuance
OF present conditions would have trul,
disastrous results. The laboring CLASSES
would end by losing entirely the sense o
humiliation which all morally sound PEG
pie feel when they obliged to appea
TO The charity OF strangers for their sus
tenincs they would lose their pride il
being able to support their families b,
their own efforts. The old proverb tina
idleneas IL the fruitful mother OF vice i
DeiLs confirmed TO an unusual degree il
the Belgian workingman. who is incline,
10 consider life frcIn the materialisti
asp-'t- In wide circles OF these classe
OF The population idleness is resulting il
drunkenness and moral abandonment
which ersender manifold dangers TO tn