The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-03-14
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.

C'"'C" w Dct9t1W, the teTrlOte
plans Of tke kaiSer's high officers
conccrningfMe deportation of the
people Wcre carried out. Ihe SOL
em"ty pledged word of the German
governor general Of Bclgium count
ed as noihnHg IN the malignant hate
Showm by he hdiScr's creatures.
Cardinal Mcrcler attempted to per-
Suadc the German authorities to aban-
don their terrible plans for the seizure
OF BclSianS to assist in the proSccu-
tion of the war, reminding them OF
their solemn promises in the past:
"MalineS, 18th October, 1916.
Mr.. Governor General:
"Thc day after The surrender of Ant
wcrp tn" frightened population asked
Itself what would become Of the Bel
EianS of age to bear arms or who would
reach that age before the end of the
occupation. The cntrcaticS of the ru-
theirs and mothers of families deter
mined me to question the governor OF
Antwerp, Baron Won IIurnc, who had
the Kindness to rruSSurc me and to
authorize me in his name to rcassurc
the agonized parents. The rumor had
spread ut Antwerp, nevertheless, that
ut LirGc, Namur, and CharlcrOi young
men had been seized and taken by
force to Germany. l therefore beg
E"d Governor Won Hucne to be good
guarantee which he had given to me
orally, To the effect that nothing sim
liar would happen ut Antwerp. He
SAID to ne Immediately that the ru-
InorS concerning dcpOrtations were
without basis, and unhcSitatingly he
sent me In writing, among other state
mcntS, the following: Young men have
no reason to fear that they will be tn-
Ken To Germany, either to be there en-
rolled in the army or employed for
forced labor
This declaration, written and sign
cd, was publicly transmitted TO the
clergy and to those of the faith Of
the province of Antwerp, as your excel
iency can see from the document en-
closed herewith, dated October 10th,
1914, which was read in all the church.
eS.
Solemn German Promises Broken.
Upon the arrival of your prcdcces-
Sor, the late Baron Won der GoltZ, at
Brussels | 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 HuenG
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 Malin"S to bring me
his approval and confirmed To me. in
the presence of two aideS-dc-Camp and
of my private secretary. the promise
that the liberty of belgian citizens
would he respected.
ITO doubt the authority of such I'M
dcrtakiE"S would h.Vr been t. reflect
upon th" persons who had made them,
and | therefore took steps To allny. by
all IL" means of persuasion in my
power. th" nnNicti"S which persisted in
III" Interested families.
Nc '"ith>tandiUg all this, your gov
ernnI"nt now fears from their homes
Worlimcn reduced in spite of their cr-
forts To II stat" of Unemployment. sep
arairS them by force from their wives
and children anG dcportS them To en-
cmy territory. Numerous workIucn
have already undergone this unhappy
lot more numcrD - are those who are
threatened with III" same acts of VIC.
lrncc.
Mcrcier's Moving Appeal.
IN tn" ram" of tn" liberty of doni.
ell" and the liberty of work Of Belgian
citizens: in the name of the invioia.
billy of families; in tn" name of NOR
al interests which the measures of de-
portation would gravcly compromise A;
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 tn" German empire, | re-
sprcifully beg your u%CCllcncy To be
good enough 10 withdraw the measures
of forced labor and of Deportation AN
nounccd to the Eclgian workmcn, and
To b" good enough to rcinStatc in their
homes those who have already been
dcpOrtCd.
"lour cXollcncy will appreciate how
painful for me would he the weight of
the responsibility that | would have
to bear aS regards these families, IL
the confidence which they have given
you through my agency and at my re-
quest were lamcntably deceived.
'I nprSiSt In inlinyip,y th., hi, .,,In