Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-12-24
tcoutinusd from Last IssusJ

TN He cards of exemption that; un-
der our express and formal ar
rauCement with the German
authorities OF the Z. y. anu
G. Il b. signed by the American
delegate, Mr.. Osborn. were IN lost
cases OF no avail The ohlcer "ou!o
take one OF these cards. show L 10
v-nather officer standing by, and this
offlcer. EVIDENTLY in authority, would
shake his head and his companion
would put the card in his pocket
and order the men deported-
When the operation had ceased me
men were AT once marched on at the
rssl.vaV station. embarked on a train
waiting and, IL WAS said sent 10 al
Ten GrabOw-
Then il was the turn OF Nivelles,
N. charming old town OF about
twelve thousand inhabitants = Few
mites south o. Waterloo On Ire
fourth of November a notice was
posted on the walls OF NlNelles or
derfng all men over seventeen years
old too report on the eight OF NoNem-
Der at 3 o'clock in the morning,
O'Clock Belgian time. IN the Pace
IT paul. They must have their
identification cards and the card IS
sued BY the registration bureau, ana,
sinister pOrtent, they mlsnt or M
small baggage. Similar notices had
been posted in all the communes
near by. The town. the whole re-
zion. was preOccupied by great
troub!s stricken by terror
Two days later German troops
appeared. filling The streets; sehIl-
neis were posted on all the highways,
roads and footpaths; none could
leave the town without written per
mission from the kommandantur'
there was a Veritable state OF siege,
10 which fear added its anguish On
the morning OF the eighth a colo us
NAL rain was falling and IRON dawn
on TO s o'clock miserable professions
from all the neighbOring villages
s.sYrs tramninc- into town. old hob
bling men. some i'll. drenched TO the
SKIN. carrying their poor. palmetto
little bundles until thousands were
crowded in the Place st. Paul theIe
we're old men OF seventy and elEnty
standing there in the colo. IRVING
rain and they stood Ior houIs-
Finally, as their cards were exam
iued. FIRST those between seventy and
eighty. then those between sixty and
seventy were allowed TO 90, ana
they pIodded OF homeWard- rms
took a long time. The others VINO
remained were then marched N col
tsn1ns OF skies between lines or sol
dferS behind whose hedge OF bayo-
nets the women were pressed close
~ shavrIs over their heads. soDbing'
tae.r eyes wide. their faces drawn
,,fth terror. desoIation and despair.
10 The DelaSroiX factories a mile
away. .s,
They were marching thus untli
noon in the pitilesS rain Ihen lhe
SANITATION was begun ana contin-
ned until Ave o'clock ia the evening
The Delacroix factories were con-
-mccted by a spur with the Lat4Way
station at BaulcrS, and on lhIS spur
freight cars stood zach man as ne
vas chosen was hustled into one OF
these cars. and when IL was tull the
ar was at once hauled out and an
other empty car brought 10 take us
srhe men were selected as seemed
now TO be the rule every where a.. &C
c0rdiug TO physical appearance, the
strong taken. the WeaS left once
taken. a man was not allowed 10
communicates with his family; ne
was hauled away in that crowded
little goods wagon. IN the rain ana
darkness and cold Of the higny. VIE
ana children waiting IN the little cot
Right came down on Niveiies; the
rain was still falling. and those walt
ing in those homes only kneW Jnat
the seizures were over when the
German SOLDIERS. their Work done,
came marching back from Baulers
and into Nivelles, singing through
the dark streets of the little town
where there were only tears
III was on the morning OF the FOUR
tcenth OF November that the decree
which conVoked the male population
of TWENTY-FIVE villages was posted
at WavFe. the chief place OF the
The notice had been posted at
seven o'clock I'm the morning II had
been expected. feared. and vet there
had been the vague. unreasonable
hone that somehow IL would not hap
pen. but now there IL was. on the
walls Twenty-fOur hours notice
given to leave home. family, friends
and TO 20 of in the night in the cold
into the dark and sinister Germany!
The women had TO warn those VINO
were working and did not Yet know
They had to warn them so that they
might have time to prepare so that
they might pass with them that day.
the last perhaps and take such poor,
uftfful measures of foresight as
were possible The women went 10
search and bring them home And
then there were the poignant scenes
OF parting. not alone the sorrow
there is in all parting. but the an
guish Of such a parting as this
They were poor homes TWO years
OF war. OF high prices and rationing.
had stripped them almost bare. In
their cupboards there was little food
only that which was strictly neces-
Sary for each one. and on the NOR
row. If the father or son were taken,
there would be no other resource
left. Thew made up their bundles.