The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-01-18
days ago; we think 1t our duty to

which have been made to Us:
These deportations began towards
Easter. The Germans announced that
the inhabitants of Roubaix, Tourcoing
Lille, etc., were going to be transport
| ed into French districts where their
provisioning would be easier
| "'At night, at about two O'Clock In
| the morning, whole district of the
town was invested by the troops of &C.
| cupation. To each house was distrib-
| uted printed notice, of which we give
| ing the style and spelling (See docu-
ment, aboye)
1.-The inhabitants so warned were to
hold themselves ready to depart an
hour and half after the distribution
of the proclamation
F." Each family, drawn up outside the
house, was examined by an officer, who
pointed out haphazard the persons who
were 10 go. No words can express the
barbarity of this proceeding nor de-
scribe the heartrending scenes which
occurred; young men and girls took
hasty farewell of their parents-a fare
well hurried by the German soldiers
who were executing the infamous task
-rejoined the group of those who were
going, and found themselves in the
middle of the street, surrounded by
other soldiers with fixed bayonets.'
Tears of despair on the part OF
parents and children so ruthlessly
separated did not soften the hearts OF
the brutal Germans. Sometimes, how
ever, more kind-hearted officer yield
ed to too great despair and did not
choose all the persons whom he should
by the terms of his Instructions
have separated
Herded Like Cattle.
These girls and lads were taken
in street cars to factories, where they
were numbered and labeled like cattle
and grouped to form conveys. In these
factories, they remained u, "a or SO
hours until train was ready to re-
move Them
1.-The deportation began with the
villages of Roncy, Halluin, etc, then
TOurcoing and Roubaix. In the towns
the Germaps proceeded by districts
" In all about 10000 persons are said
to have been carried off up to the pres
ent. This monstrous operation has
taken eight to ten days to accomplish.
1.-the reason given by the German
authorities is a humanitarian % one.
They have put forward the following
pretexts: provisioning is going to
break down in the large towns in the
north and their suburbs, whereas in
the Ardennes the feeding is easy and
cheap
1T is known from the young men
and girls, since sent back to their
families for reasons of health, that in
the department of the Ardennes the
victims are lodged in terrible man
ner, in disgraceful promiscuity they
are compelled to work in the fields. 1t
is unnecessary to say that the inhabi-
tants of our towns are not trained to |
such work. The Germans pay them
1.50 m. But there are complaints of |
insufficient food
"Barbarity of Slave Drivers"
They were very badly rece. red in
the Ardennes. The Germans had cold |
the Ardennais that these were "volun-
teers' who were coming to work, and |
the Ardennais proceeded to receive
them with many insults, which only |
ceased when the forcible deportation
of which they were the victims became
known
"'Feeling ran especially high in our
towns. Never has so Ubiquitous a
measure been carried out. The Ger
mans have shown all the barbarity Of
slave drivers
1.-The families so scattered are in
despair and the morale of the whole
is gravely affected. Boys
Of fourteen, schoolboys in knicker-
Dockers, young girls of fifteen to six
ten have been carried off, and the de-
,pairing protests of their parents failed
70 touch the hearts of the German Off
,erS, or rather eXecutionerS.'
Zone last detail: The persons so
leported are allowed to write home
,nce a month; that is to say, even less
,ften than military prisoners
1--WE do not wish here to enter into ,
he question of provisioning in the in
aided districts; others, better quail ,
led than ourselves, give you, as we ,
now, frequent information. 1t is |
nough for us to describe in a few 4
rords the situation from this aspect: 8
Entire Population in Misery.
"The provisioning is very difficult; !
God, apart from that supplied by the {
committee, is very G
carce and terribly dear i. People
re hungry and the provisioning is in 4
dequate by at least half; our popu y
ltion is suffering constant privations
nd is growing noticeably weaker The
cath rate, too, has increased consid-
ably.
with all confidence in the sympathy
the government we venture to adj
ress a new and pressing appeal to .
our generous kindness and far-reach- 3
e influence in the name of those who q
e suffering on behalf of the whole u
'untry.' y
Paris, 18th June, 1916, 3, rue TAFT u
bout" q
(Signed on behalf of various speci- al
d organizations by Toulemonde, re
larles Droulers. Leon Hatine-Dazin,
d Louis Lorthiois.) III
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