Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-01-17
BE[GIA|NiiS FORCED |
To- AID GERMANS
Kaisers officers Showed Open
Disregard Of lnterna.
tional Law.
woRKMEN SEIZED AS SLAVES

Cardinal Mercier Moved to Bitter Con
demnation Of Acts Of German Au-
thorities Which Aroused Detes-
tatlon of christendom.
Contrary to rules laid down b,
the Hague convention, and all prsn
ciples Of ciuilized warfare, German
authorities forced Belgians to aid
them in the prosecution of the wdr
The committee on public informa
tion gives the facts concernin!
these atroctous deeds IN a pamphlet
recently made public, from which W
take the following:
October -, 1915, the German author
tiles took long step in the develop
ment of their policy Of forcing the Bel
gians to aid them III prosecuting the
war. The decree of that date reveals
the matter and openly discloses con
tempt for international law.
Article 1. Whoever, without reason
refuses to undertake or to continue
work suitable to his occupation, and In
the execution of which the military
administration is interested, such work
being ordered by one or more of the
military commanders, will be liable tc
imprisonment not exceeding one year
He may also be transported to Ger.
many.
Sin volsing Belgian laws or even in
ternntional conventions to the con
trary, can, in no case, justify the re.
fusal to work.
article 2. Any person who by force
threats. persuasion, or other means
attempts to influence another to refuse
work as pointed out in Article 1, Is
liable to the punishment of imprison
ment not exceeding five years.
article 3. Whoever knowingly by
means of aid given or in any other way
nbets punishable refusal to work
will be liable to maximum fine OF
10000 marks, and in addition may be
condemned to a years imprisonment
EFF communes or associations have
rendered themselves guilty of such I'm
offensp the heads of the communes will
be punished.
ARTICLE 4 In addition to the penal
ties stated in Articles l and 3, the Ger
man authorities may, In case of need
impose on communes, where without
reuSon work has been refused, fine
or other coercive police measures
"i'his present decree comes into
force Immediately.
"Der Etappeinspekteur,
won UNGER,
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
"Ghent, October ~, 1915"
slavery" Said Cardinal Mercier.
CARDINAL Mercier's brief. comment Il
rs follows: '"The injustice and arbi
trariness of this decree exceed all tina
could be imagined. Forced labor, col
lective penalties and arbitrary punish
ments, all are there. 1t is slavery, nei
Their more nor less"
Cardinal MERCER was in error, fol
the German authorities were able t.
imagine much more terrible measure
In october, 1916, when the need fol
an additional labor supply in Germany
had become urgent, the German gov
eminent established the system Of
forced labor and deportation which
has aroused the detestation of Chris
tendon. The reader will not be mislet
by the clumsy effort of the German au
,,,;% ~; 10 J,D ~
| the decree.
II. People able to work may be
compelled to work even outside tn,
place where they live, in case the,
have to apply to the charity of other.
| for the support of themselves or theil
dependents on account of gambling
drunkenness, loafng, unemployment OF
idlencss.
III. Every inhabitant Of the cOuntr!
| is bound to render assistance in cas-
of accident or general danger, and alst
| to give help in case Of public calami
ties as far as he can, even outside thu
place where he lives; in case of refu
sal he may be compelled by force.
I'LL. Anyone called upon to work
under Articles or II, who shall re
| fuse the work, or to continue ut thu
work assigned him, will incur the pen
atty of Imprisonment up to three year.
and of fine up to 10000 marks, OF
one or other of these penalties, unless
a severer penalty is provided for b!
the laws in force.
IF the refusal to work has beer
made in concert or in agreement will
several persons, each accomplice viii
be sentenced, as if he We're q ring
leader, to at least weeks imprison
ment.
NV. The German military authori
ties and military courts will enforc,
| the proper execution of this decree.
1.-THE QUARTERMASTER GEN
ERAL, SAUBERZWEIG.
"Great Headquarters, Sd October
1916"
Military Rulers Responsible.
The responsibility for this atrociou
program rests upon the military ruler
Of Germany, who had labored so zeal
ously to infect the army and tn
people with the principles Of ruthless
ness. 1t is significant that the deere
of October 8, 1916 followed hard upol
the elevation Of Hindenburg to the 50
preme command with Ludendorf as hi
chief of staff. In his long report o
January l6, 1917, Minister Mhltlocl