The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-12-10

them work for tho Kaiser, In many
instances actually compelling them
to labor In munition factories.
Hard TO Judge Calmly
On January 10. 1917. whlie suri IN
rrusseis-svon tho IL was occupied
by the Germans whitiock made a
report 10 the state Department say,
Ing among other things:
II have I, In mind. and might
say. on my conHcienco. since the
Germans began 90 d~port belgian
wurkrn1n In November 10 prepare
for the Department detailed re-
port on tho ia,e~, instance Of hru.
tally. but there have been 10 many
obstacle. In tho way % obtaining
evidence on which a calm and Judi.
eioua opinion could b. based. and
ono IL 80 overwhelmed with tho hof
ror Of the thing Itself. tina, It has
been and even now IL difficult 10
write calmly and Justly Abou, H.
Would Pay Unemployed
In order 20 understand fully the
situation u is necessary TO 40 hack
TO tho autumn Of 1914 At tho time
ws wero organizing IN. relief work
tho Comits National dleiglan relief
organlsationj proposed an arrange.
men, by which tho Belgian govern.
mens should par 20 Va own en-.
ployem left In belgium. and other
unemployed men boaidra. the wages
they had been accustomed 20 rec~lvo.
The nelxtsna wished TO do this
both for humanitarian and patriotic
purposes. they wished TO provide the
unemployed with IN. means OF live
tihood and. AZ tho Same una. TO pre-.
vent their working for the Germans.
! refused 90 b. connected In any way
with this plan and told IN. Belgian
COMMITTEES that II had many poxHi-
blitiea Of danger. that not only
would II place a premium on idie-
ness. but that I, would ultimately
eIaap~rats tho Germans
Tempted German Cupidiiy
However. the policy was adopted.
and has b~~n continued IN practice.
and on tho rolls % tn. cosnito Ma
tionai have been borns tho names Of
hundreds u thousands some ZOO.
900. bciiev~-of dis men receiving
this dole. distributed thru tho com.
rnunes
The presence OF the-. unemploy.
ed. however. was a constant tcmptA.
ton TO German cupidity Many
times they sought 20 obtain the lists
Of the chomeurs trnen on tho pay.
roii.l. but were always fooled by the
claim that undsr tho guarantees Gov
ering relief work. tho records OF
TN, Cofnits National and It's various
suborganixationH were immune.
Military Dcports I'm
Rather than riak any INTERRUPT.
ton Of rcviotualling. for which.
whils ioath 20 own any obligation to
America. the Germans have always
been grateful. since IL has had tho
effect OF keeping tho population
calm. tho authorities never pressed
the point other than with tho burgo-
masters OF the commun~s.
FINALLY. however. the military
party. always brutal. and with
an astounding ignorance Of pub
tic opinion and Of moral senti.
ment. determined 10 put these
idle men TO work.
Gen. Won Kissing and tho civil
portion OF his encourage had always
been. and even now are opposed to
this policy and. think. have
sincerely dono what they could. first.
to prevent its adoption and. second.
iy, To Tighten tho rigors Of its APP
plication."
With regard to the above by
Whitlock. tho Germans had sol.
EMMY assured Cardinal Mer.
cier that young Belgian men
need not fear being forced into
tho German army or being EN-
ployed Mt forced labors. This
was in tho autumn Of 1914. All
thru 1915 there were reported
cases where the military forced
workmen 20 labor In various fac
tories in Belgium. Later this
was followed by an order legal
izing this and In October, 1915,
n brutal order was promulgated
which paved the way for the
deportatlons.
Ludendorffs Inspiration
In his report. Whltlock continues:
Then. In August. Hlndenburg was
appointed 10 the supreme command.
He is said TO have criticized Won Bis.
sings policy az too mild. there was
"A quarrel; Won Bessing went to Berlin
TO protest. threatened 10 resign. but
did not. He returned ana n German
here said that Belgium would
now be subjected 10 more terrible
regime WOULD LEARN WHAT
WAR WAS. THE PROPHECY
HAS BEEN INDICATED Re.
Gently I was told that the drastic
measures are really Of Ludendorff's
inspiration; do not know. Many
German officers say. so"