, 1918-01-03

of the secon peace conference at The
Hague. 1907, pledged themselves to the
following:
Article L. No general penalty, Pc
cuniary or otherwise, shall 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 the resources 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 soon as they invaded Bel
gium, heavy fines were laid upon indi-
vidual communities as reprisals for
some act against the German army OF
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 a a fine of
10000 marks inflicted on 1t because
the ~burgomaster did not inform the
military authority of a journey which
the cardinal, deprived of the use of his
motorcar. had been obliged to make
on o In fact, upon the fiimsiest
pretexts heavy fines are inflicted on
communes. The commune of Puers
was subjected to a fine of 5000 marks
because a telegraph wire was broken.
although the inquiry showed that 1t
had given way through wear"
MerciIess Exaetions.
In addition to such arbitrary,
sporadic exactions, in December, 1914,
the Germans demanded 100000 OO
paid by the Belgian provinces Jointly.
Concerning this enormous imposition
Cardinal MERCER says, in the appeal
to Truth
"Now, In December, 1914, Belgium
was devastated. Contributions of war
imposed on the towns and innumerable
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.
at was on this impoverished Bel
GUM, living OF foreign charity, that q
contribution of nearly 500,0O0,O00
francs was imposed"
The German military rules have also
made the families responsible for acts
committed by or charged against menu
bers as is shown in the following ex-
amples, which are quoted from the
appeal to Truth, cited above:
"The Belgian government have sent
orders to rejoin the army to the mi
ntiamen of several classes. . All
those who receive these orders are
strictly forbidden to act upon them.
. . In case Of disobedience the
family of the militiaman will be held
equally responsible"
Punishment "WIthout Mercy"
The commander in chief of the Ger
man army In Belgium posted a procla-
nation declaring:
bao~S "ASAS awe " hOblllllY
shall be committed by the inhabitants
against u troops will be burned.
"For all destruction Of roads, rail-
ways, bridges, ETC., the villages in the
~neighborhood Of the destruction will
be held responsible.
"Ths ~punishments announced above
will be carried out severely and with
out mercy. The whole community
will be held responsible. Hostages
will be taken in large numbers. The
heaviest war taxes will be levied"
At the end of the Appeal to Truth"
Cardinal MERCER says:
But we cannot sal all here nor
quote all.
"If, however, our readers wish for
the proof Of the accusations .
we shall be glad to furnish them.
There II not in our letter. nor In tho
four annexes Ito the Appeal to
TRUTH. one allegation Of which We
: have moi the proofs in our recordR"