Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-12
Qeported Belgians Subject
ed to Brutal Treatment
to Enforce Labor.
LIFE AT SOLTAU
CAMP DESCRIBED.
Escaped eeisians Tell Of lnhuman Acts
Of German Guards, Who Practics
Systematic Abuses to Force Bslsians
TO Assist in Labors Of War--vari rious
Methods Of Torture Devised seart
Rations For Those informed.

~~~'ASs SA"uScs Suy AS.--Aue belgian
government has received from various
sources evidence which accords In
every detail proving that deported Bel.
gian citizAns are subjected 10 sys-
tematic mistreatment in their forced
labor for the German army--cruel pun
ishments. brutal intimidation and hard
conditions OF labor. under which
great many OF the deported citizens
die. while large proportion return 90
reduced and weakened that they aru
incapable OF physical labor.
This is the regimen OF the camp 1t
Soltau, described by one OF tho men
who had been interned there and who
succeeded in escaping:
I'm the morning third of q lite.
of beverage resembling. coffee but
seemingly made Of acorns. At noon
half liter OF soup. generally made OF
beets. but sometimes Of potatoes. In
! the evening q NTH OF liter OF por-
ridge made of cornmeal or barley. The
ration of bread In ABOUT hah-pound
per day, made OF mixture OF corn
| meal and rye. The interncd arc mover
given meat, fish or cheese"
In certain camps the evening meal
| was suppressed altogether and even
the other meager repastsawere reduced
for those who refused to work for the.
Germans.
Various Msthods u Tee4urs.
Besides hunger. the principal uleAA.
ure resorted to in order to bring the
deported men to submisston Ii the
'supplice Of the post" stoutly fet-
tered to posts. the men arc exposed
to heat or cold according to the sea-
SON for days together during which the
food Is reduced systematically until
they reach the portion OF a half ration
only for two days subsistence.
Another cruelty practiced on the de-.
ported to force them to work is the
',.suppllce of the tank" or severe ap-
plication Of the Turkish bath. Several
witnesses have confirmed this among
them the son Of a. manufacturer OF
the region of Antwerp who with sew
eral Of his comrades was shut up in
small room heated to a very high tenn
perature.
There was only room In the place
for them to stand erect and IL was so
crowded they were scarcely able 10
| turn. They were left there twenty
four hours. Then they were led to a
factory where they were asked if they
would go to work.
| Upon their refusal they were taken
to field under military escort, divest-
ed OF their oyercoats. shoes. scarfs and
hats or caps and exposed in a snow
storm an entire day and night with
nothing to eat or drink and under pro-
hibition to make the slightest move-
ment. ~
Some Of them lost consciousness af-
ter few hours and all OF them were
taken to the hospital the following
day.
Shot Down by Machine Guns.
! A number of witnesses call attention
| to the fact that frequently groups OF
deported men have been the subjtcts
of a simulated execution, sometimes
| by firing squad and sometimes by a
machine gun. In order to overcome
their resistance and impress their com.
rades.
There Is another means Of constrain.
used upon the deported In the form
Of punishment camps. where the regi-
men Is more severe and where the
deported are forced to work In the
marshes, often In most excessive col
weather, dressed In nothing but trou-
sers, shirt and wooden shoes, without
food an entire day.
Some are cent to centers Of agricul-
ture where. according to evidence from
man from verviers who escaped from
Germany, most OF the victims returned
so enfecbled that It WAS necessary 10.
them to bc transported to the station
In carts.
Mortality Among Man Alarming.
Corporal punishment. the form OF
which Is left to tho discretion OF the
| jailers. S frequently employed. snch
as blows with tho butt Of rifle
forced running Tor periods up to two
hours without stopping, under menace
OF the bayonet. In addition to the
! practice off tying them 10 the post.
From all the evidence it appear
certain that the mortality among the
men subjected to this nistreAtment II.
/ alarming. IN one camp from two: IL
! thrae nrisoners were found dead from
iexhauetion every day.s N.
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Reserve Bank 70 Ogden.
Washington. July i2.--Thc federal
reserve board today designated Ogden.
| olS