The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-06-27
battlefelds with that of their SON,

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
the unalterable rights of honor and
conscience
ut has been said that women are .au
| powerful suppliants.'
we have felt authorized by this
saying, Mr.. Minister, to extend our
hands to you and to address to your
| country last appeal.
I'VE trust that in reading these lines
you will feel ut each word the unhap.
| py heartbccats of the Belgian women.
and will find in your broad and hu,
name sympathy imperative reasons 70,
Intervention.
only the united will of the neutral
peoples encrgctically expressed can
counterbalance that Of the German au.
thOritics.
"This assistance which the neutral
nations can and, therefore, ought t,
lend us, will it be refused to the op.
pressed Bclgians?
BE good enough to accept. Mr.. Min
Ster, the homage Of our most dlstin
guished consideration"
(Signed by number Of Belgian
women and "a societles.)
The United States government die
not fail to respond to this touching IN
peal and to others of similar nature
The American embassy at Berlin
promptly took up the burning question
OF the dcportationS with the chancclln,
ana other representatives of the Ger.
man government. In an interview
with the under secretary of state foi
foreign affairs, Mr.. Grew was handcc
an official statement of the German.
, plans, which is, in translation, as fol
lows:
German CamoutIage.
Against the unemployed in Belgium
VINO are Il burden to public charity
In order to avoid friction arising thcr,
from, compulsory measures are To Il,
adopted to make them work so far Il:
thcy are not voluntarily inclined t,
work, in accordance with the rCguln
ton issued May ID, 1916, by the gov
ernor general. In order to ascertain
such persons the assistance OF the nv.
nicipal authorities is required for tn,
district of the governor general il
Brussels, while in the districts outSid,
ol lhe general government, |. e., in IN,
provinces of Flanders. lists were dc
manded from the presidents of tn,
local relief committees containing. th,
names of persons receiving relief. Fu,
the sake of establishing uniform pro
cedure the competent authorities have
In the meantime, been instructed [,
make the necessary Investigations re
EardinS such persons also in Flanders
through the municipal authorities {:
furthermore, presidents of local rclici
committees who may be detained 70,
having refused to furnish such lslt.
will be rclca9ed"
Mr.. Grew pointed out that the dcpor.
tationS were a breach of faith ana
would injure the German cause
abroad. In his official summary of thc
negotiations which he carried on h,
says:
Il then discussed in detail with tn,
under seer, r,tary of state for foreign nr-
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 ths ambassador by the chen.
ccllor ut general headquarters las
spring and dwelling on the effect which
the policy might have on EnglundS ~.
tituG" towards rclief work in Belgium
| said | understood that the measure
hhd been promulgated solely by the
military government in belgium and
lilat L thought the matter ought al
least to be brought to the chancellor; >;
personal attention in the light of III,
consequences which the new pole,
would entail. Herr Zimmerman init
mated in reply that the foreign Office
had very little influence with the mill.
tnry authorities and that ii was un-
likely that the new policy in Brlgiul.
could be revoked. He stated. how.
ever, in answer to my inquiry, that he
would not diSapproye of my seeing the
chancellor about the matter"
Solemn Protest by United States.
The formal protest of the United
States was as follows:
The government of the United
states has learned with the greatest
concern and regret OF the policy of the
German government to dcpOrt from
Bclgium II portion Of the civilian pupu.
latiOn with the result of forcing them
To labor in Germany, and is constrained
to protest in Al friendly spirit but mos
Solemnly against this action which Is
In contravention of all precedent ana
those humane principles of intcrnu
tiOnal practice which have lui. ~
accepted and followed by civilized NJ
tionS in their treatment of noncombu
tants in conquered territory. Further
more, the government OF the United
States is convinced that the effect OF
this policy if pursued will in all prob
! ability be fatal to the Belgian relief
work, so humanely planned so sue
ccSS:ully carried out, Il result which