The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1918-05-15

1.-THE governor of Antwerp, Baron
Won Hoiningen, General Won Huene,
has authorized me to inform you in his
name and to communicate by your
obliging intermediary to our popula-
lions, the three following declara-
lions:
"Q) The young men need not fear
being taken to Germany, either to be
enrolled into the army or to be en-
ployed at forced labors.
"(2) If individual infractions of po-
lice regulations are committed, the
authorities will institute a search for
the responsible authors and will pun
ish them, without placing the respon-
sibility on the entire population.
"(3) The German and Belgian au-
thorities will neglect nothing to see
that food is assured to the popula-
ton"
These promises were not kept, as
Cardinal MERCER and his colleagues
show by abundant evidence in the ZAP
peal to Truth"
"On March 23d, 1915, at the arsenal
at Luttre the German authorities post
ed a notice demanding return to work.
On April 21St, 200 wOrkmen were call
ed for. On April 9th soldiers went
to fetch the workmen from their
homes and take them to the arsenal.
In the absence of a workman, a men,
Der of the family was arrested.
An
However, the men maintained their
refusal to work, because they were
unwilling to cooperate in acts of war
against their country
"On May 4th, "a workmen detained
in prison at Nivelles were tried at
Mons by a court-martial, 'on the charge
of being members of a secret society,
having for its aim to thwart the carry
ing out of German military measures
They were condemned to imprison-
ment.
"On May 9Th, 1915, 4S workmen
were shut up in a freight car and
taken to Germany.
son May 18th, 45 men were deport-
Gu u G6Tl1duy.
"On May 18th a fresh proclamation
announced that the prisoners would
receive only dry bread and water, and
hot food only every four days. On
May 22d three cars with 104 work
men were sent toward Charleroi."
"a similar course was adopted at
Malines, where by various methods
of intimidation, the German authori-
ties attempted to force the workers at
the arsenal to work on material fol
the railways, as if it were not plain
that this material would become wal
material sooner or later.
Stopped All Traffic in MaIines.
son May Both, 1915, the governor
general announced that he would be
obliged to punish the town Of Malines
and it's suburbs by stopping all com
mercial traffic If by 10 a. m. or
Wednesday, June I'd, 500 workmeI
had not presented themselves for worf
at the arsenal.
ION Wednesday, June I'd, not 6
single man appeared. Accordingly, {
complete stoppage took place Of ever!
vehicle within a radius Of several kilo
meters of the town.
Several workmen were taken By
force and kept two or three days a
the arsenal.
''The commune of Sweveghm (west
ern Flanders) was punished in June
1915, because the $50 workmen at TIT
private factory Of NJ. Bekaert refuses
to make barbed wire for the German
army.
"The following notice was placard
ed at Menin in July-August, 1915
BY order: From today the town will
no longer afford aid of any descrip
tion-including assistance to thei
families, wives, and children-to an
operatives except those who worl
regularly at military work, and othe
tasks assigned to them. All other OF
eratives and their families can hence
forward not be helped in any fashion
Punished for Refusal to Work.
similar measures were taken il
October, 1915, at Harlebekelez-Court
raj, Bisseghem, Lokeren, and Mon:
From Harlebeke % inhabitants wer
transported to Germany. At Mon:
in NJ. Lenoir's factory, the directors
foreman, and 81 workmen were in
prisoned for having refused to wor
in the service of the German army. n
Lenoir was sentenced to five years in
prisonment, the five directors to
year each, six foremen to six months
and the 81 workmen to eight weeks.
'"The general government had n
course also to indirect methods {
. compulsion. 1t seized the Belgia
Red Cross, confiscated its propert,
and changed its purpose arbitraril,
1t attempted to make itself master
the public charities, and to control tn
national aid and food committee.
eff we were to cite in extenso tn
decree of the governor general of Aul
ust 4th, 1915, concerning measures II
tended to assure the carrying out
| works of public usefulness, and ths
of August 18th, concerning the unen
ployed, who, through idleness, refrai
from work. it would be seen by wh'
: tortuous means the Occupying pOw(