Williston graphic., 1918-03-14

has authorized me to inform you in his
name and to communicate by your
obliging intermediary to our popula-
tions, the three following declara.
tiOns:
"1) The young men need not fear
being taken to Germany, either to be
enrolled into the army or to be en-
ployed ut forced labors.
"(2) If individual infractions Of po-
lice regulations are committed, the
authorities will institute 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-
tion.'
These promises We're not kept, as
Cardinal Mercier and his colleagues
show by abundant evidence in the "Ap-
peal to TRUTH
"On March 23d, 1915, at the arsenal
ut Luttre the German authorities post
ed nctice demanding return to work.
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, mem
Der Of the family was arrested.
Worl<vnen Imprisoned on Trains.
"However, the men maintained their
refusal to work, because they were
unwilling to cooperate in acts of war
against their country
ION May 4th, "a workmen detained
In prison at Nivelles were tried at
Mons by court-martial, 'on the charge
having for it's aim to thwart the carry
ing out of German military measures
They were condemned to imprisOn-
ment.
ION May 9Th, 1915, 4S workmen
were shut up in freight car and
taken to Germany.
"On May 14th, 45 men were deport-
ed to Germany.
ION May 18th 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 1O4 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 for
the railways, as if it were not plain
that this material would become war
material sooner or later.
Stopped All Traffic in MaIines.
ION May 30th, 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. on
Wednesday, June I'd, 500 workmen
had not presented themselves for work
at the arsenal.
ION Wednesday, June I'd, not q
single man appeared. Accordingly, a
complete stoppage took place Of every
vehicle within radius of several kilO-
meters of the town.
"Several wOrkmen were taken by
force and kept two or three days at
the arsenal.
1.-THE commune of Sweveghm (west-
ern Flanders) was punished in June,
1915, because the $50 workmen at the
private factory Of NJ. Bekaert refused
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 their
families, wives, and children-to any
operatives except those who work
regularly at military work, and other
tasks assigned to them. All other op-
eratives and their families can hence
forward not be helped in any fashion,.
Punished for Refusal to Work.
"Similar measures were taken in
October. 1915. at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
raj. Bisseghem, Lokeren. and Mons.
From Harlebeke % inhabitants were
transported to Germany. At Mons,
in NJ. Lenoir's factory, the directors,
foreman, and 81 workmen were i'm
prisoned for having refused to work
in the service Of the German army. NJ.
Lenoir was sentenced to five years i'm
prisonment, the five directors to a
year each, six foremen to six months.
and the 81 workmen to eight weeks.
"rhe general government had re-
course also to indirect methods Of
compulsion. 1t seized the Belgian
Red Cross, confiscated it's property,
and changed its purpose arbitrarily.
1t attempted to make itself master Of
the public charities, and to control the
national aid and food committee
IF we were to cite in extenso the
decree of the governor general Of Aug
ust 4th, 1915, concerning measures in
tended to assure the carrying out of
works of public usefulness, and that
of August 18th, concerning the uncm-
Moved. who. through idleneSS, refrain