The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1918-01-03

of the second peace conference ut The
Hague. 1907, pledged themselves to the
following:
Article l.. No general penalty, pc
cuniary or otherwise, shalt be inflicted
upon the population on account Of the
acts of individuals for which they can
not be regarded as Jointly and several
ly responsible"
Article LII. acquisitions in kind
and services shall not be demanded
from municipalities or inhabitants ex-
cept for the needs of the army of oc-
cupation. They shall be in proportion
TO he u of the country, and Of
such a nature as not to involve the In
habitants in the obligation of taking
part in military operations against
their own country"
The German authorities have violat-
ed these articles from the very begin
ming. As 0on as they invaded Bel
GUM, heavy fines were laid upon indl-
vidual communities us reprisais for
Soilt sNl dSdiiiSl llIc OClliut army VI
its regulations which was committed
within their boundaries. In IAN APP
peal TO Truth Cardinal MERCER cites
the following cases:
"Malines, a working-class town.
without resources, has had a fine Of
10000 marks inflicted on it because
the burgomaster did not inform the
military authority VI a journey which
the cardinal, deprived of the use of mis-
motorear, had been obliged to make
on foot. In fact, upon the fiimsiest
preteXts heavy fines are indicted on
communes. The of Puers
was subjected TO a fine of 5000 marks
because Il telegraph wire was broken,
although the inquiry showed that 1t
had given way through wear"
MerciIess Exactions.
In addition to such arbitrary.
sporadic exactions. in December, 1914,
The Germans demanded 40.000,000
francs (SS,000, 000), a month to be
paid by the Belgian provinces jointly.
Concerning this enormous imposition
Cardinal MERCER says, in the Appeal
10 Truth: :"
"Now, In December. 1914, Belgium
was devastated. Contributions OF wcr
imposed or the towns anu i~nnurncrabits
acquisitions In kind had exhausted her.
The greater part of the factories were
idle, and in those which were still at
work, raw materials were, contrary to
all law, being freely Communicated.
ut was on this impoverished Bel
GUM, living on foreign charity. that q
contribution of nearly 500,OO0,O00
francs "a imposed"
The German military rules have also
made the families responsible for acts
committed by or charged against men,
bers as is shown in the following g
amples, which are quoted from the
Appeal to Truth, cited above:
'The Belgian government have sent
orders to rejoin the army to the mi
htiamen Of several classes. . . . All
those who receive these orders are
strictly forbidden to act upon them.
-. In case Of dlscbedience the
family of the miiitiaman win be held
equally responsible"
Punishment "Without Mercy"
The commander In chief of the Ger
man army in Belgium posted a procla-
melton declaring:
sThe villages where acts Of hostility
shall be committed by the inhabitants
against our troops will be burned.
Fer all destruction of roads, rail-
ways. bridges, ETC., the villages In the
neighborhood of the destruction Will
be held responsible.
The punishments announced absve
win be carried out severely and with
out mercy. Tile whole community
will be held responsible. Hostages
will be taken In large numbers. The
heaviest war axe will be levied"
At the end of the Appeal to TRUTH
Cardinal Mercier says:
"But we cannot Jay all here, nos
quote all.
IF, however. our readers wish for
the proof Of the accusations . . !.
we shall be glad to furnish them.
There Is not In our letter. nor Il the
four annexes Ito the Appeal to
Truth. one allegation of Which we
have not the proofs In u records"