Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-01-11
GERMAN HONOR
DRAGGED IN DUST
Solemn Promises Made to Bel
gianS Proved to Be Worse
Than Worthless.
ALL APPEALS WERE FLoUTED
Pathetic and Dignlfed suppIlcatlons Of
Municipal Governments Answered
by Rebuke and Heavy Fine
Imposed by General HOPPER.

Imposed by General HOPPER.
Over the earnest protest of Cardi-
nal MERCER. heroic head of the
church in Belgium, the terrible
plans of the kaiSer's high officers
concerning the deportation of the
people we're carried out. The SOL
EMMY pledged wOrd of the German
governor general of Belgium count
ed as nothing in the malignant hate
Shown by the kdiSer'S creatures.
Cardinal Mercler attempted to per-
suade the German authorities to aban-
don their terrible plans for the seizure
Of Belgians to assist in the prosecu-
ton of the war, reminding them of
their solemn promises in the past:
"Malines, 10th October, 1915.
"Mr. Governor General:
1.-The day after the surrender of Ant
werp the frightened population asked
itself what would become of the Bel
glans of age to bear arms or who would
reach that age before the end OF the
occupation. The entreatles of the fa-
theirs and mothers of families deter
mined me to question the governor of
Antwerp, Baron Won Huene, who had
the kindness to reassure me and to
authorize M in his name to reassure
the agOnized parents. The had
spread at Antwerp, nevertheless, that
at Liege, Namur, and Chartered young
men had been seized and taken by
force to Germany. l 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 un~hesitatlngly he
sent me in writing, among other state
ments, the following Young men have
40 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 predoces-
sor, the late Baron Won der Goltz, ut
Brussels l 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 M for the province of Ant
werp. The governor general retained
this request In his possession In order
to examine 1t 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 aldes-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 vlo-
lence.
Mereler's Moving Appeal.
"In the name of the liberty of doml-
cile and the liberty of work Of Belgian
citizens; in the name of the invlOla-
billty of families in the name of NOR
al interests which the measures of de-
p~ortatlon 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, / re-
spectfully 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 relnstate 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 l would have
to bear as regards these families, II
the confidence which they have given
you through my agency and at my re-
quest were lamentably deceived.
~ persist In believing that this will
not be the cnse.
accept, Mr.. Governor General, the
assurance Of my very high cOnsidera-
ton.
I'D. ]. 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