The sun., 1917-09-19
BELGIANS STILL
BEING ENSLAVED
Kaiser's Pledge Of Repatria-
tiOn Broken and Forced De.
portations Renewed.
Special Cable Desposch TO The sus from the
London Times.

Special Cable DespascA to The Sus from the
London Times.
Copyright, 1917, all rtohfs reserped)
LONDON, Sept ls.-An unnamed cor
respondent in the Times writes that the
repatriation pledges Of Germany In re-
gard to Belgians have been broken and
forced labor has been revived. He says ::
THE Germans have not given UP the
deportation Of Belgian workmen. After
a show Of Difference to tho insistent
protests Of various neutral Powers and
the Pope they are endeavoring to re-
vive the practice OF forced labor in
another form.
"ln February the Kaiser eolemnly
promised that the men who had been
wrongfully deported-that 10 to say,
those who had regular employment at
the time Of their deportation-should
be sent back to their homes. but only
small proportion OF these workers
were repatriated most OF them were
exhausted and unable to work.
Forced to Military Tasks.
Further representations were made
to Berlin. and II was announced that
every man who did not consent to re-
main voluntarily in Germany should be
released before June IS. The greatest
pressure was brought TO bear on the
men to induce them to sign an agree
ment to remain In Germany. Ultimately
"A certain number Of those who resisted
all threats and promises were sent to
Belgium. but the Germans did not in
tend to be deprived Of their services
Some were even told that they were
going only for holiday. Those who
believed they had been definitely re.
leased were soon to discover their mis-:
take.
Those who returned to the Mons dis
trct army zone were compelled TO work
for the army railways and other mill
tary work or were obliged to 20 back to
Germany. The Belgian Government has
received particulars OF the cases of
forty-eight workers In the Mons dis
trict which may be taken as typical of
what is taking place every month all
over the country.
Most Of these workers came back in
April or May. They were called again
two or three weeks later. and some of
them were taken away a fortnight after
the date appointed by the German Gov
VI 'H'Sf' 'oi 'hc ipSi VI INC lHSt
deported man. Nearly all had found
work after their return. hut no distinc-
tion was made betweer the employed
and the unemployed
Eve" Sick Men RECALLED.
'Some were seized ii the coal mine.
where they were working, others from
the auxiliary corps. into which they had
been forcibly drafted. Seven OF them
exhausted by their hrst experience In
German prison camps. had been too III
to resume ordinary work but had been
taken on by employers. Ono Of them
had been suffering from eye trouble
since his return and had been given I,gh,
work while recovering. He was ordered
to present himself to tho Kommandantu,
with his bundle. ready to leave for Cor
many. An officer told his employer tia,
he was recalled by the managing en-
gineer Of the factory for which he ha 4
been compelled to work while in West.
phalia.
"It seems that while some Of the mer
were definitely dismissed from the Ger
man factories others. mostly skilled
workmen. were released temporarily te
calm the Indignation OF the neutra
world. only to he brought back q few
weelss later to satxPfy the demands o
the German industd hlists