Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1918-02-21

dark exile, threatened by hunger,
prison, death, will be called upon to
perform the most odious work--servlce
to the enemy against the fatherland.
Rights Of Honor and Conscience.
"The mothers cannot stand by while
such an abomination Is taking place
without making their voices heard in
protest.
"They address you in the name Of
the unalterabIe rights of honor and
conscience.
ut has been said that women are all
powerful suppliants.'
1--WE have felt authorized by this
saying, Mr.. Minister, to extend our
hands to you and to address to your
country last appeal.
I'VE trust that in reading these lines
you will feet at each word the unhap-
py heartbeeats of the Belgian women
and will find in your broad and hui
name sympathy imperative reasons for
Intervention.
only the united will of the neutral
peoples energetlcally expressed can
counterbalance that Of the German au-
thOrities.
"This assistance which the neutral
nations can and, therefore, ought to
lend us, will it be refused to the OPP
pressed Belgians?
"Be good enough to accept, Mr.. Min
lister, the homage Of our most distln-
guished consideration"
(Slgned by number of Belgian
women and "A societies)
The United States government did
not fail to respond to this touching ap-
peal and to others Of similar nature.
The American embassy at Berlin
promptly took up the burning question
of the deportatlons with the chancellor
and other representative of the Ger
man government. In an interview
with the under secretary of state for
foreign affairs, Mr.. Grew was handed
an official statement of the German
plans, which Is, in translation, as fol-
lows:
German camouhage.
Against the unemployed In Belgium,
who are a burden to public charity,
In order to avoid friction arising there
from, compulsory measures are to be
adopted to make them work so far as
they are not voluntarily inclined to
work, in accordance with the regula-
ton issued May 10, 1916, by the gov
ernor general. In order to ascertain
such persons the assistance Of the mu-
nicipal authorities is required for the
district Of the governor general In
Brussels, while in the districts outside
Of the general government, !. e., In the
provinces of Flanders, lists were de-
manded from the presidents of the
local relief committees containing the
names of persons receiving relief. For
the sake of establishing uniform pro-
cedure the competent authorities have.
In the meantime, been instructed to
make the necessary investigations re-
garding such persons also In Flanders
through the municipal authorities:
furthermore, presidents of local relief
committees who may be detained for
having refused to furnish such lsits
will be released"
Mr. Grew pointed out that the depor-
tations were breach Of faith and
would injure the German cause
abroad. In his official summary of the
negotiations which he carried on he
says: D
~ then discussed in detail with the
under secretary of state for foreign af-
fairs the unfortunate impression which
this decision would make abroad, re-
mindlng him that the measures were
in principle contrary to the assurances
given to the ambassador by the chan
cellor at general headquarters last
spring and dwelling on the effect which
the policy might have on England's at
tltude towards relief work in Belgium.
| said | understood that the measures
had been promulgated solely by the
government in Belgium and
that thought the matter ought at
least to be brought to the chancellor's
attention in the light of the
consequences which the new policy
would entail. Herr Zimmerman inti-
mated in reply that the foreign office
had very little influence with the mill
tary authorities and that II was un-
likely that the new policy In Belgium
could be revoked. He stated, how
ever, in answer to my inquiry, that he
would not disapprove of my seeing the
chancellor about the matter
Solemn Protest by United States.
The formal protest of the United
States was as follows:
"The government of the United
States has learned with the greatest
concern and regret of the policy of the
German government to deport from
portion Of the civilian pOpu-
latlon with the result of forcing them
to labor in Germany, and Is constrained
to protest In friendly spirit but most
solemnly against this action which Is
in contraventlon of all precedent and
those humane principles of interna-
tional practice which have long been
accepted and followed by civilized ma
tlons in their treatment of noncomba-
,ants in conquered territory. Further
the government of the United