The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-29
Declares Men Were Deported
to Permit Teutons to Return
to Front
AMERICANS PREVENTED
PEOPLE FROM STARVING
Belgian Minister Havenith AS
serts ] hat Germany Viii
fully Disregarded Obliga-
tons to Country

Washington. Jan. 2s.--A bitter at
tack on the conduct of the German
conquerors Of Belgium was made in
a statement issued tonight by the Bel
gian legation in reply to the recent
German defense Of the deportatlons of
Belgians into Germany. The state
ment. made public by Belgian Minis
ter Haverith, declared that Germany
had 'wilfully dsregarded all its oh
legations toward the occupied terri
tory and that only the charity OF
the people of the United States had
saved the Belgian population from
starvation.
The Belgian statement asserted that
the Belgian wurkr1cn were dcported
in order that they might replace Ger
man workmen in German industrial
plants and thus release Germans for
service in the army Discussing the
German contention that Belgians were
deported only because they were I'M
employed and because there was no
work for them to do in Belgium, the
statement said:
In reality the requisition by Ger
many OF raw material and machinery
has in great part caused this situa-
tion. According to the statement OF
the German government. the machin-
cry and raw materials were seized
GiiR bFttGSt VI the ldth III W WI hiIiCll'
In reality what happened Is the ex-
act reverse. and as in the case of
the deportations, il is the Germans
who have created a state of affairs
upon which they afterwards seek to
establish the justification of the il
legal measures taken by them
Disregartled Obligations.
The statement declared that on
June 80. 1915. the King of Belgium
protested against the seizure by Ger
many Of raw materials valued at w.
600. 0o0 which would have supplied
work for Belgian industries, 1t de-
clarod' that Belgian machinery and
tools were likewise seized AS to
financial conditions in Belgium the
statement said:
1T is Sufficient to recall briefly that
Germany has wilfully disregarded all
of It's obligations toward the occupied
country 1t was the strict duty of
Germany to feed the population.
However had il not been for the in
itiative and good will Of citizens OF
the United States. the Belgian popula-
iion would today be dead from star
walton. Germany considers that she
has fulfilled her international obliga-
tons in permitting other nations to
take that burden upon them. The
legation recalls also that Belgium,
which even according to what Ger
many herself says. Is for the moment
without commerce and without indus
try, is subjected to war tax amount
/ ing 10 SIS. 100000 a month more than
ten times the ordinary taxes In time
OF peace. that she has paid this tax
since the beginning of tn occupation
of her territory and that in addition
she has been subjected to acquisitions
of all kinds which Germany has inn
/ posed upon her and which have made
a desert of certain parts of this un-
fortunate country. Public opinion
Will Judge whether it appertains to
Germany TO speak Of the financial
burden which Belgium endures in
order to feed her population when this
burden should be borne exclusively
hv Germany.
Germans Rejoined Army.
When Germany had thus reduced
to idleness large number of work
men. she decided to export them to
Germany in order to liberate in this
way an equal number of German
workmen who would rejoin the Ger
man army In the field. This plan
was conceived long time in advance
To-day 1t Is no longer @ question
only of the deportation of the unem-
ployed, According to information re-
! ceived by the government Of the King
I employed and unemployed-all those
whom the German government thinks
! II can utiiize---are deported into Ger
MANY. The number of these unfor-
itrnates is today more than one hum
dred and twenty thousand,
These unfortunate workmen are
being deportei into Germany. where
I they are employed on work of mill
tary or semi military nature. such as
/ in lime kiln and cement plants when
t they are not sent near the hring line
Their presence in Germany liberates
I German workinen who go to rejoin
the army in the field; it is therefore
"a violation of international law in
spirit and letter.
The statement declared that the
German deportation constitutes re-
TURN to an institution definitely sup
pressed by civilized nations"