The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1918-02-08


90 not so to perform a glorious duty.
They are slaves in chains who. in a
dark exile, threatened by hunger,
prison, death, will be called upon to
perform the most odious work-service
to the enemy against the fatherland.
Rights of Honor and Conscience.
''The mothers cannot stand by while
such an abomination is taking place
without making their voices heard In
protest.
'They address you in the name of
conscience.
cit has been said that women are all
powerful suppliants.'
eve have felt authorized by this
saying, Mr.. Minister, to extend our
hands to you and to address to your
country a last appeal.
1--WE trust that in reading these lines
you will feel at each word the unhap-
Ply heartbeeats of the Belgian women
and will find in your broad and hui
name sympathy imperative reasons for
Intervention.
"Only the united will of the neutral
peoples energetically expressed can
counterbalance that of the German au
thOritieS.
''This assistance which the neutral
nations can and, therefore, ought to
lend US, will it be refused to the Op-
pressed Belgians?
'Be good enough to accept, Mr.. Min
lister, the homage of our most distin-
guished consideration"
(Signed by a number of Belgian
women and "a societies.)
The United States government did
not fail to respond to this touching ap-
peal and to others of similar nature.
The American embassy at Berlin
promptly took up the burning question
Of the deportations with the chancellor
and other representative Of the Ger
man government. In an interview
with the under secretary of state for
an official statement of the German
plans, which is, in translation, as fol-
lows:
German Camouflage.
against the unemployed in Belgium,
who are burden to public charity,
in order to avoid friction arising there
from, compulsory measures are to be
adopted to make them work so far as
they are not voluntarily inclined to
work, in accordance with the regula-
ton issued May Is, 1916, by the gov
ernOr general. In order to ascertain
such persons the assistance of the mu-
nicipal authorities is required for the
district of the governor general in
Brussels, while in the districts outside
of the general government, i. e., in the
provinces of Flanders, lists were de-
handed from the presidents of the
local relief committees containing the
names Of persons receiving relief. For
the sake of establishing uniform pro-
cedure the competent authorities have,
IN the meantime, been Instructed to
make the necessary Investigations re-
garding such persons also in Flanders
through the municipal authorities
furthermore, presidents of local relief
committees who may be detained for
having refused to furnish such LISTS
will be released"
Mr.. Grew pointed out that the depor.
tatiOns were a breach Of faith and
would injure the German cause
abroad. In his official summary of the
negotiations which he carried on be
says:
Il then discussed in detail with the
under secretary of state for foreign af
fairs the unfortunate impression which
this decision would make abroad, re
minding him that the measures were
IN principle contrary to the assurances
given to the ambassador by the chan
cellor at general headquarters las
spring and dwelling on the effect which
the policy might have on England's at
/ titude towards relief work in Belgium
| l said understood that the measure
| had been promulgated solely by tn,
| military government in Belgium an,
that l thought the matter ought a
least to be brought to the chancellor
personal attention in the light Of tn
! consequences which the new polio
would entail. Herr Zimmerman init
/ mated in reply that the foreign offic
had very little influence with the mill
tary authorities and that it was uu
likely tn the new policy in Belgium
could be revoked. He stated, how
ever, in answer to my inquiry, that h
would not disapprove of my seeing tn
chancellor about the natter
Solemn Protest by United States.
The formal protest of the Unite
States was as follows:
"The government of the Unite
States has learned with the creates
concern and regret of the policy of tn
German government to deport fro1
Belgium a portion Of the civilian pop,
lation with the result of forcing the1
to labor in Germany. and is constr line
to protest in friendly spirit but mos
solemnly against this action which i
In contravention Of all precedent an