The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-01-11

Wnicn nave been made to us:
These deporta.ions began towards
Easter. The Germans announced that
the inhabitants OF Roubaix. Tourcoing,
Lille, etc, were going to be transport
ed into French districts where their
provisioning would be easier
"'At night, at about two O'clock in
the morning. q whole district of the
town was invested by the troops Of oc-
cupattOn. To each house was distrib.
uted q printed notice, Of which we give
herein IN exact reproduction, preserv-
Ing the style and spelling (See docu-
ment, abovc.)
The Inhabitants so warned were to
hold themselves ready to depart an
hour and a half after the distribution
OF the proclamation
Each family. drawn up outside the
house. was examined by an officer, who
pointed out liaphazard the persons who
were to so. No words can express the
barbarity OF this proceeding nor de-
scribe the heartrending scenes which
occurred; young men and girls took
hasty farewell Of their parents-a fare
well hurried by the German soldiers
who were executing the infamous task
-rejolned the group OF those who were
going, and found themselves In the
middle Of the street, surrounded by
other soldiers with fixed bayonets.
Tears Of despair on the cart OF
parents and children so %ruthlessly
separated did not soften the hearts Of
the brutal Germans. Sometimes, how
ever, Il more kind hearted officer yield
ed to too great despair md did not
choose all the persons whom he should
by the terms OF his Instructions
have separated
Herded Like Cattle.
""Ii.cse girls and lads were taken
in street ears to factories. where they
were numbered and labeled like cattle
and grouped to form conveys. In these
factories. they remained l., "a or 80
hours until a train was ready to re-
nov them
1.-THE deportation began with the
villages OF lsoncy. Halluin, etc, then
Tourcolng and Ioubaix. In the towns
the Germans proceeded by Districts
"'In all about $4,000 persons arc said
to have been carried Oft up to the pres
ent. This monstrOus operation has
taken eight to ten days to accomplish.
1.-The reason given by the German
authorities Is a humanitarian 90 one.
They have pat forward the following
pretexts: provisioning is going to
break down in the large towns In the
north ana their suburbs, whereas in
the Ardennes the feeding is easy and
cheap
and girls, since sent back to their
families for reasons Of health, that In
the department OF the Ardennes the
victims are lodged in a terrible man
ner, in d~isgraceful promiscnity; they
are compelled to work in the fields. 1t
Is unnecessary to say that the inhnbi-
tants Of our towns are not trained to
such work. The Germans pay them
$50 m. But there are complaints of
insufficient food
"Barbarity Of Slave D~rivers."
"'They were very bndly received in
the Ardennes. The Germans had told
the Ardennais that these were ''voiun-
teers' who were coming to work, and
the Ardcnnais proceeded to receive
them with many insults, which only
ceased when the forcible deportation
of which they were the victims became
known
".Tecling ran especially high in our
towns. Never has 50 Ubiquitous 4
measure been carried out. The Ger
mans have shown all the barbarity Of
slave drivers
""The families so scattered are in
despair and the morale Of the whole
population Is grayely affected. Boys
Of fourteen. schoolboys In knicker-
lockers. young girls OF fifteen to six
ten have been carried Off, and the de-
spairing protests of their parents failed
to touch the hearts of the German OIL
GERS. or rather executioners.'
Zone last detail: The persons so
deported r allowed to write home
once a month ; that Is to say. even less
often than military prisoners
1--WE do not wish here to enter. into
the question Of provisioning In the in
vaded districts; others. better quail
fed than ourselves. give you, as We
know. frequent information. It Is
enough for us to describe In a few
words the situation from this aspect:
Entire Population II Misery.
Tho provisioning is very difficult;
food. apart from that supplied by the
Spanish American committee, Is very
scarce and terribly dear. -. People
are hungry and the provisioning Ii In
adequate by at least q half our popu-
lation Is suffering constant privations
and ID growing ~n0ticeably weaker. Tho
death rate. too. has increased consid-
crably.
with all confidence In the sympathy
Of the government we venture to ad-
dress a new and pressing appeal to
your generous kindness and far-reach-
Ing influence In the name Of those who