Evening journal., 1918-10-08
BELGIAN KILLED
FOR DEFYING HUN
Others Who Refuse to Work
for Germans Are
Imprisoned
RAILROAD LINES
ARE TORN UP
BY MILTON Bh0NNER
lslafl CORRESPONDENT of n. y. a

AStoh correspondents OF NJ y, AL
WASHINGTON, Oct. s.-America asks
her railway employees TO give the ma
tion the best transportation service
possible, raises their pay and asks them
to subscribe to the Liberty Loan llber-
ally.
The Hun in Belgium tries 10 force
Belgian railwaymen to work and when
resisted Furnishes with prison and
death.
Belgium had 2s9 miles OF State
owned railroads and 1904 miles partial
ly controlled by the State. She had a
greater percentage of roads per square
mile than Great Britain, France and
Germany.
When the Hun invaded Belgium,
many engineers drove their engines
into France to keep them out Of the
hands OF the enemy.
Belgian engineers In 1914 were offer
ed as high as $40 day to drive engines
on the inclined plane Of Haut Pre-, but
refused.
In 1915 the Hun began his usual
policy Of force. At Luttre a deputation
OF workmen was offered si.75 a day
and engineers were offered S.. They re-
fused on behalf OF their comrades,
They were shut up In a train and
threatened with deportation 10 Hun
land, where they would be compelled
20 work without pay. Next day the
train moved OF, the workmen defiant
" crying "Vive la BelgiqueT They
were, however, RELEASED at Namour.
Next 400 were collected and a Hun Of
flcer promised them certificates stat
ing they were forced 10 work. He asked
those who agreed TO this TO step for
ward. All the men stepped back
ward.
NJ. Kesseler, manager OF the Luttre
workshop, was imprisoned for two
days then ordered 20 persuade his
men TO work He said he could not
violate his oath Of allegiance to his
king. Finally he read the German or
der, winding up by saying he left the
men TO their own judgment. They
stood pat.
Kesseler and two OF his staiT were
then imprisoned. i9O railway w0rkmen
were sent to Germany and 50 more
were arrested. AZ Malines 800 railway
men were incarcerated for a time and
the town penalized because they re
fused 20 work for the Hun
In 1917 at Journal the men were i'm
prisOned for four months for refusing
10 work. In December this was in
creased TO a year.
In Brussels the banks were ordered
TO cease payments OF money 10 families
OF recalcltrant railroad men and finally
the railway mechanics were deported
20 Hunland.
Many hundreds OF miles OF light rail-
ways were torn up and the rails and
roIiing stock shipped 10 France for
use behind the Kaiser's lines
Factories were looted Of all their
machinery, which was sent TO Hunland.
In February OF this year at Mou-
scron two guards and railway laborer
were sentenced by a military court TOT
acts opposed to German interests.
Their "crirne- was 20 refuse to Work
for the inavder-
ArhiIIe Debaker. a guard, was at once
executed. Henry DebayOy. guard, and
Jules Ileuridsn. railway workman, were
sent 20 prison for 10 years al hard
labor The town was literally piaeard-
~ with their names and punishments-
Thousands Of Belgian railway work
80 are starving and dying in German
slave camps. and upwards OF io.OO Bel
rian railway men are participating IN
the present great drive along win
Pe-shing's men, Haig's men and Pc
tsin's men