Gunnison news-champion., 1918-07-19


cate them 10 The people:
The governor Of Antwerp. Baron
yun Hoiningen. General Won Huene.
has authorized me TO inform you In his
maine and to communicate by your
.obllgins intermediary TO our popula-
tions, the three following deciara-
lions:
I'D The young men need not fear
being taken to Germany. either to be
enrolled into the army or to be en-
pioyed at forced labors.
-t2) II individual infrnctions of DO
lice regulations are committed. the
authorities will institute a search for
the responsible authors and will pun
lsh them. without placing the respon-
sIbIlIty on the entire population
"t0 The German and Belgian au-
thorItles Will neglect nothing to see
that food Is assured to the popula-
ton"
These promises were not kept, as
Cardinal Mercier and his colleagues
show by abundant evidence In the .Ap-
peal 10 Truth"
-On March 23d. 1915, at the arsenal
at Luttre the German authorities post
ed q ncdce demanding return to work.
On April 21s,. 200 workmen were call
ed for. On April 9th soldiers went
to fetch the workmen from their
homes and take them to the arsenal
In the absence OF a workman. a men,
Der Of the family was arrested.
Workmen imprisoned on Trains.
However. the men maintained their
refusal to work, because they were
unwilling to cooperate In acts of war
against their country
"On May 4th. "a workmen detained
In prison nt Nlyelles were tried at
Mons by court-martial. 'on the charge
OF being members OF secret society.
having for It's aim TO thwart the carry-
Ing out OF German military measures
They were condemned to imprison-
ment.
"On May sth, 1915. 4s workmen
were shut up In a freight car and
taken 10 Germany.
"On May 18th, As men were deport-
ed TO Germany.
"OR May 18th fresh proclamation
announced that the prisoners would
receive only dry bread and water. and
hot food only every four days. On
May 22d three cars with 1OI work
men were sent toward Charleroi.
"a similar course was adopted at
Mnl.nes. where by various methods
OF Intimidation. the German authori-
ties attempted TO force the workers at
the arsenal to work on material for
the railways. as II II were not plain
that this material would become war
material sooner or Inter.
Stopped All Traffic In Malines.
con May 3oth. 19l5. the governor
general announced that he would be
Obliged to punish the town of Malines
md its suburbs by stopping all COM
mercIal traffic II by 10 n. m. on
Wednesday. June I'd, 500 workmen
had not presented themselves for work
at the arsenal.
"On Wednesday, June I'd. not a
single man appeared. Accordingly,
complete stoppage took place Of every
meters Of the town.
several workmcn were taken by
force and kept two or three days at
the arsenal
The commune OF Sweveghm (west-
ern FIanders) was punished In June.
1918. because the $50 workmen at the
private factory Of NJ. Bekaert refused
to make barbed wire for the German
army.
'.rhe following notice was placard-
ed at Aenin in July-August, 1915:
BY order: From today the town will
no bnger afford aid Of my descrip-
tion-including assistance to their
families, wives. and children-to any
operatives except those who work
regularly at military work. and other
taslH assigned to them. All other op-
eratives and their families can hence
forward not be helped In any fashion
Punished for Refusal TO Work
similar measures were taken In
October. 1915. at Court
raj, Bisseghem. Lokeren. and Mons.
Frum Harlebeke % Inhabitants were
transported to Germany. At Mons.
In II LenoIr's factory. the directors.
foreman. and 81 workmen were Inn
prissasd for having refused to work
In the service Of the, German army. NJ
Lenolf was sentenced to i've years inn
prisonment, the 1--WE directors to
year each, SIX foremen to six months,
and the 81 workmen to eight weeks.
'sThe general government had re
course also to indirect methods Of
compulhon. II seized the Belgian
Red Cross, confiscated Its property,
and changed its purpose arbitrarily.
It attempted to make itself master Of
the public charities, and to control the
pational aid and food committee.
IF we were to cite in extenso the
decree Of the governor general Of Aug
ust 4th, 1915. concerning measures In
tended to assure the carrying out Of