The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-09
.DERMANY'S new
home ARMY" IS
BEING ASSAILED
Socialists Declare It Will
Reduce Workers of EN-
pire to Slavery.


Germany's new man-power law,
which was ratified by the Kaiser on
Dec. 8 and is to go into full effect
In February, according to an an
nouncement made by General GrOe-
ner, head of the new War Bureau. on
Dec IS, is bound to reduce the work
ers Of the empire to a condition of
actual slavery, in the opinion of the
leaders of the German Socialists who
are in opposition to the government
and are agitating for immediate peace.
When the law which practically places
every man in Germany between the
ages Of II and 60 at the disposition
of the military authorities for service
In the y"home army" was adopted by
the Reichstag on Dec. 2 by, a. vote Of
235 to 10, the cabled report said that
the opposition Socialists fought
against its passage and declared it
to be infrpical to the interests of la
Dor.
Hugo Haase was quoted as con-
demning the action of the German
government in deporting the Belgian
workers. Accounts Of the Reichstag
debate found in the German Socialist
press show that Deputy vogtherr, the
official speaker for the Social Demo-
cratic Working Group. also attacked
the subjugation of the Poles, and ad-
vised the German government to fol-
Tow the example Of Great Britain in
the matter of Matchmaking munition
factories. Part of Deputy Vogtherrs
speech follows:
lot vyho ia
to be regarded as auxiliary service
throw the door wide open for arbi-
trariness. The declaring Of partici-
patton in industrial activities as be-
longing to the auxiliary service will
enable those who might still be liable
ito military service to seek safety
there. BY means Of this law the well
fare of~the people is actually destroy
ed, the last male worker is exposed
to the danger OF being reduced to mis-
cry or of being crippled. The press
is not included as a whole in the in
idustries capable of doing auxiliary
duty, but the officials are to decide
each case on its own merits This is
bound to lead to the corrupting OF
public opinion. Already very severe
action is being taken against the wom-
en-, especially against the war wives
An order issued by the commander
of the Third Army Corps is Intended
to force them to take up agricultural
work under the threat of being de-
prived 6f their allowances. This gives
US an advance idea Of what will hap
pen when this law opens up still
more Unlimited possibilities.
1.-The QUESTION Of food deserves the
greatest attention. The workers and
the great masses OF the middle class
are not only working, but are starving
for the Fatherland. Those who are
I able to pay have meat, milk, fat, and
delicicacies; the poor haven't even po-
tatoes. According to the explanations
made in committee by the Minister of
the Interior, the regulations regarding
regarding the workers right Of free
transit are to be based upon what has
already been done along that line by
the commanding officers in Bavaria
Well, then, what is the situation in
factory is completely under military
regulations. The workers are. even
being instructed after working hours
in the art of saluting officers In
Rhenish Westpha1ia, when mine work
ton to the wishes Of their employers,
they have received. together with
their certificate Of discharge, their
call to the colors. It is planned to
chain workers who have formerly
been employed in agriculture to that
occupation for the period of the war;
This is a condition Of bondage only
known to us through the records of
Ithe darkest Middle Ages. The work
ers' right to strike is to be made a
. complete delusi6n.
The Reduction Of Wages
"How wages are to be reduced may
be seen from the conditions existing
today. The toolmakers and filters at
Siemens, and Haiske's at Nonnen-
damn, where the ye1lows German
labor unions backed by the employers
in opposition to the regular trade UNI
ion organizations) are in almost un-
limited control and the workers are
nearly all recruited from GONZALES
cent companies and from ther field,
are now receiving from 20 to IS cents,
with a premium of 10 per cent, in
stead of the usual wage of from 81
to As cents. Women get from to 8
cents, with premium of 10 per cent
Workers who have protested against
this unheard- of-cut in wages have
been told that at any rate that was
much better than being in the trench
es, and recently they have been in
formed that 1t was a good thing that
the compulsory law was coming, as
then they would soon be shown what
was what. With the aid Of this law
every means will be set in motion
to compel the workers to act as strike
breakers under any conceivable cir
cumstances.
'The forcible drafting Of Belgian
workers to Germany has led to in
-terpellations in the Dutch parliament
Among the drafted men are Belgians
who had fled to Holland, but who
had been advised by the Dutch gov
eminent to return because Of it's faith
in an edict issued by the Governor Of
Antwerp promising that young Bel
tgians would not be sent to Germany.
I'm Wilma, in the occupied districts
of Poland, an edict has been issued
calling upon the male workers from
II to so years of age-therefore
presentment of the present law-to
appear for examination as to their
ability to work. Wealthy residents >
says the report, who have become UNI
accustomed to physical labor are ex-
empted from presenting themselves
for examination and also from doing
any work for period of six months,
provided they pay 500 marks
; (S142 201 IN the Garrnen tho baod