Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-24
ARRA|CNS GERMANY
TAKES ISSUE WITH BERliN'S
METHOD OF TREATING BEL
GUM PEOPLE-RELlEF BODY is
DOR.
BY JOHN ErWIN NEVlN,
international News Service Staff
Correspondent

international News Service Staf
Correspondent
Washinton. d. c.. March 24.-Unable
lon to stand the ntolerable condi-
tions" imposed by the German govern
ment on American relief work among
ten millions of destitute Belgians tie
| United States has withdrawn from
that stricken little country Brand
Whitlock, the American minister, and
the American relief workers. The
withdrawal was ordered by President
Wilson himself.
Accompanying the official announces
ment of this action today, the Stare
| apartment issued statement OF
| singing indictment against the Ger
man government for its violation or
pledges and its acts of aggression
against the Belgians and their Ameri-
can saviours
| For sharpness of language there has
been no official document issued by
this government during the entire
course OF the war which equals 1t. The
statement follows;
by direction of the President,
the Minister at Brussels has been
instructed to withdraw from Bel
gium with all diplomatic and con-
sular officers and take up his Off
cial residence at Havre,
after consultation with the COM
mission for relief In Belgium, Mr..
Whitlock has also been instructed
to arrange for the departure OF
the American members Of me
commission.
This step, the seriousness OF
which is fully appreciated by the
government, was taken only after
careful consideration and full con-
sultation with all the interests In
volyed
When diplomatic relations with
Germany were broken of, the
normal procedure would have
been to withdraw the minister at
Brussels and tho American men,
bers of the Relief Commission.
Eoth this government and the com
mission, however, felt heavy
moral responsibility for the mil
lions of innocent clviions behind
the German lines, and it was de-
cided that the work Of the COM
mission must be kept going de-
spite all differences until contin-
: ued American participation be-
came impossible. For over two
years if has been the single-mind-
ed purpose of this government
. and the commission to see that
these ten millions Of civilians
. were fed and with this end in
view, the Americans concerned
have submitted to restrictions i'm
7 pOsed on them by the German au-
thorities which under ordinary
conditions would never have been
tolerated
Immediately after the break in
relations the German authorities
| in Brussels withdrew from Mr..
WhitlOck the diplomatic privileges
! and in unities which he had had
until that time enjoyed His
I courie service to the Hague was
1 stopped He was denied the priv
= iege CT communicating with the
. department of state in sipher and
later event in plain language The
9 members of the relief commission
!, we're placed under great rosriC
I. tons of movement and commdni-
l. cation, which hampefcd The efiici
ent performance Of their task
i In spite of all these difficulties tho
n government aud the commission
n were determined to keep the work
going tin the last possible nom
ent
Nov, however, a more serious
difficulty has arisen In the
) course Of the past ten days sever
al of the commission ships have
been attacked without warning by
.. German submarines in Ilasrant
y. violation of the solemn pledges OK
n. the German government Prot
N tests addressed by this govern
mcnt to Berlin through the inter
20 mediary OF the Spanish govern
\ ment have not been answered.
-. Tho German governments dlsre'
"a gard Of its written undertaking
=, causes grave concern as to the fu'
4. ture of the relief work In any
+, event. It is felt that the American
30 staff of the Commission can long