The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-01-05
GERMAN HONOR
DRAGGED IN DUST
Solemn Promises Made to Bel
gianS Proved to Be Worse
Than Worthless.
ALL APPEALS WERE FLOUTED
Pathetic and Dignified SuppIications of
Municipal Governments Answered
by Rebuke and Heavy Fine
Imposed by General HOPPER.

Imposed by General HOPPER.
OUer the earnest protest of Cardi-
nal Mercier, heroic head of the
church in Belgium, the terrible
plans of the kaiser,s high officers
concerning the deportation of the
people Were carried out. The SOL
EMMY pledged wOrd of the German
governor general of Belgium count
ed as nothing in the malignant hate
shOtUn by the kaiser's creatures.
Cardinal MERCER attempted to per-
suade the German authorities to aban-
don their terrible plans for the seizure
of BelgiaUS to assist in the prosecu-
ton of the war, reminding them of
their solemn promises in the past:
''Malines, 18th October, 1916.
'Mr. Governor General:
1.-THE day after the surrender of Ant
werp the frightened population asked
itself what would become of the Bel
gians of age to bear arms or who would
reach that age before the end of the
occupation. The entreaties of the IA
mined me TO question the governor Of
Antwerp, Baron Won Huene, who had
the kindness to reassure me and to
authorize me in his name to reassure
the agOnized parents. The rumOr had
spread at Antwerp, nevertheless, that
at Liege, Namur, and CharlerOi young
men had been seized and taken by
force to Germany. I therefore beg
ged Governor Won Huene to be good
enough to confirm to me in writing the
guarantee which he had given to me
orally, to the effect that nothing sim
liar would happen at Antwerp. He
said to me Immediately that the ru-
mOrs concerning depOrtatiOns were
without basis, and unhesitatingly he
sent me in writing, among other state
ments, the following: Young men have
no reason to fear that they will be ia
ken to Germany, either to be there en-
rolled in the army or employed for
forced labor
Solemn German Promises Broken.
upon the arrival of your predeces-
sOr, the late Baron Won der GOltz, at
Brussels 1 had the honor of presenting
myself at his house and requested him
to be good enough to ratify for the en-
tire country, without time limit, the
guarantees which General Won Huene
had given me for the province of Ant
werp. The governor general retained
this request in his possession in order
TO examine it at his leisure. The fol-
lowing day he was good enough to
come IN person to Malines to bring me
his approval, and confirmed to me, in
the presence of two aides-de-camp and
Of my private secretary, the promise
that the liberty of Belgian citizens
would be respected.
Notwithstanding all this, your gov
eminent now tears from their homes
wOrkmen reduced in spite of their eff
forts to a state of unemployment, sep
arates them by force from their wives
and children and deports them to en-
envy territory. Numerous workmen
have already undergone this unhappy
lot: more numerous are those who are
threatened with the same acts of viO-
lence.
Mercier's Moving Appeal.
''In the name of the liberty of domi-
Gle and the liberty Of work of Belgian
citizens; in the name of the inviola-
bility Of families; in the name Of NOR
al interests which the measures of de-
pOrtatiOn would gravely compromise;
in the name of the word given by the
governor of the Province of Antwerp
and by the governor general, the i'm
mediate representative of the highest
authority of the German empire, 1 re-
specially beg your excellency to be
good enough to withdraw the measures
of forced labor and of deportation an
| nOunced to the Belgian workmen, and
to be good enough to reinstate in their
homes those who have already been
deported.
your excellency will appreciate how
painful for me would be the weight of
the responsibility that I would have
to bear as regards these families, if
the confidence which they have given
you through my agency and at my re-
quest were Iamentably deceived.
81 persist in believing that this will
not be the case.
Accept, Mr.. Governor General, the
| assurance of my very high considera-
ton.
I'D. J. CARDINAL MERCER,
"Arch. of Malines."
Municipal governments in Belgium
appealed to the German authorities TO
observe their promises. The two doc
uments which follow illustrate Belgian