The Washington herald., 1917-04-09
HUN BRUTALITY
To THE BELGIANS
Barred IN NOTES
Letters Of American Official
Made Public by State
Department.
THINK WHITLOCK AUTHOR
Barbanc Deportaions Into Slavery on
Wholesale Scale by German Mas
tiers Illustrated in Epistles.

kCAo luuSlIdICo LII IRiSbCo.
The grossest brutaIities inflicted upon
the civilian population Of Belgium by the
German military forces now occupying
more than 90 per cent Of the territory of
King ATbert's domain are graphically de-
scribed in Ietters-''the private communi-
cations OF an American Official in Bel
gium'-made public by the State Depart
ment last night
The letters are presumed to be those OF
Brand Whftlock. American Minister to
Belgium, who, following upon the Ger
man occupation, remained at the legation
In Brussels until very recently. but as
to the exact identity of their author the
State Department maintained official ST.
lence.
The campaign of "frightfulness" as the
ctpline and order among an alien popula-
ton Is dwelt upon in the letters at great
length with numerous illustrations of the
barbaric methods employed by the
Raiser's military Officers in dealing with
the Belgians
Hardness of DeportatIons.
the deportation orders were executed il
dwelt upon in the communications. On
pretexts OF the fimsiest character the
German masters of the Belgium people
inaugurated wholesale conscriptions for
the transportation of Belgian men to the
fields and Industrial workshops Of Ger
many. Bribery, threats. and atrocious
physical violence were resorted to by the
Germans to bring the Belgians to time.
The letters describe the conduct Of the
German military officials as transcending
in violence many of the acts described
in horrid detail as incident to the French
revolution.
One letter. dated last December. SAYS:
1T is really quite pitfful to see how
the Belgians look to America in a crisis
like this
sieze Food for Relief,
The reference was to the relief work
OF the United States among the Bel
Gian population. for the letters pre-
viol sly asserted that the Germans had
taken every advantage Of the American
relief measures to feed Belgium to wiring
from the Belgians every ounce ofrfood-
stun and other necessity of life for their
own uses.
Ac ,ording to the letters the deporta-
tions of Belgian men to German fields
of industrial and agricultural activity
numbers between 5000 and 5000 and the
writer said: The intention to continue
the policy seems unaltered"
Brutality in many instances marked
the recruiting for Germany's army of
war slaves. The letters say that much
depended upon the cha racter Of the Ger
man commander who happened to have
the duty Of recruiting the Belgians.
Use Machine Guns,
Chlans picketed the groups of men to
be transferred and the meanace and the
machine gun was ever at hand and Oft
times used. The letters continue:
AT Arlon, a small town in the province
OF Luxembourg. practically every male
was taken. In Malines where Cardinal,
MerCier resides. a town of some 10000
people. LOO men were removed last week
This is a pretty thorough reaping
1T is understood various methods are
employed to force the men who refuse
to sign to work. Starvation is the most
prominent Men are said to be placed
in an excessively heated room and, wher
in a great sweat thrust out of doors.
Interment in a punishment camp at
Reech is likewise reported There the
maltreated. Severe rat bites are report
ed and every sort of cruelty is said to
be practiced.''
In conclusion the correspondent reports
that the condition of the men deported
frcm the industrial communities OF
Northern France is even worse than thai
meted out to the Belgians. Underfeeding
Of the most distressing character Is re-
ported with regard to both Belgians ana
Frenchmen.