The Snowflake herald., 1918-07-12
KaiSerS Officers Showed Open
Disregard of Interna-
tionaI Law.
WORKMEN SEIZED AS SLAVES
Cardinal Mercier Moved to Bitter Con-
demnatlon of Acts of German Au-
thorlties Which Aroused Detes-
tation Of Christendom.

the Hague convention, and all prin-
cipIes of ciViIized warfare, German
authorities forced BeIgiGns to aid
them in the prosecution of the WGr.
The committee on public Snform0-
tiom gives the facts concerning
these atrocious deeds IN pamphlet
recently made public, from sOhich Ue
take the foUowing:
October II, 1915, the German author
tiles took a long step in the develop
ment of their policy of forcing the Bel
gians to aid them in prosecuting the
war. The decree of that date reveals
the matter and openly discloses a 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 to
Imprisonment not exceeding one year.
He may also be transported to Ger
many.
'In voking Belgian laws or even in
ternational conventions to the con-
trary, can, in no ease, 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 l, is
liable to the punishment of imprison-
ment not exceeding five years.
"Article 8. Whoever knowingly by
means of aid given or in any other way
abets a punishable refusal to work,
will be liable to a 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 an
offense the heads of the communes will
be punished.
"Article 4. In addition to the penal
| ties stated in Articles 1 and 3, the Ger
man authorities may, in case of need.
| impose on cOmmuneS, where without
reason, work has been refused, fine
or other coercive police measures.
"This present decree comes into
force Immediately.
"Der Etappeinspekteur,
"VON UNGER,
"Generalleutnant.
"Ghent October II, 1915"
"SIavery," Said Cardinal Mercier.
Cardinal Mercier's brief comment is
as follows: "The injustice and arbi-
trariness of this decree exceed all that
could be imagined. Forced labor, col
lective penalties and arbitrary punish
ments, all are there. 1t is slavery, nei-
ther more nor less"
Cardinal Mercier was in error, for
the German authorities were able to
imagine a much more terrible measure.
In October, 1916, when the need for
an additional labor supply in Germany
had become urgent, the German gov
ernment established the system of
forced labor and deportation which
has aroused the detestation of Chris
tendon. The reader will not be misled
by the clumsy effort of the German au-
thorlties to mask the real purpose Of
the decree.
'T. People able to work may be
compelled to work even outside the
place where they live, in case they
have to apply to the charity Of others
for the support Of themselves or their
dependents on account Of gambling,
drunkenness, loaf1ng, unemployment or
Idleness.
I'll. Every inhabitant of the country
is bound to render assistance in case
of accident or general danger, and also
to give help in case Of public calami-
ties as far as he can, even outside the
place where he lives; in case of refu-
sal he may be compelled by force.
''III. Anyone called upon to work,
under Articles / or II, who shall re-
fuse the work, or to continue at the
cork assigned him, will incur the pen
atty of Imprisonment up to three years
and of a fine up to 10000 marks, or
one or other of these penalties, unless
a severer penalty is provided for by
the laws in force.
"If the refusal to work has been
made in concert or in agreement with
several persons, each accomplice will
be sentenced, as If he were a ring
leader, to at least a weeks imprison-
ment..
'IV. The German military authori-
ties and military courts will enforce
the proper execution of this decree.
"THE QUARTERMASTER GEN
ERAL, SAUBERZWEIG.
"Great Headquarters. Sd October,
1916"
Military Rulers Responsible.
The responsibility for this atrocious
program rests upon the military rulers
Of Germany, who had labored so zeal
ously to infect the army and the
people with the principles of ruthless
ness. It is significant that the decree
of October 3, 1916, followed hard upon
thp elevation of Hindenburg to the Su-