The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1918-03-22
BELGIUM PLUNDERED AND TORTURED
BY The WAR mad GERMAN MILITARY
Never Has There Been Bgandage Mehoca or So Complete
War Contributions Alone Have Drained the Country Of Money
Raw Materials and All Economic Equipment Car
red 0ff-Famne Now Threatens.

Washington. people OF the
UnIted States have general Idea OF
the awful condition existing In Bel
GUM on account Of the invasion OF the
Huns. Stories Of atrocities have been
published and II is one unforgiyable
fact against the Germans that they can
make no explanation for the outrageous
treatment they have Inflicted upon the
tnonensive people Of u small, weak ma
et0n, II there was no other reason for
ksepng the war spirit alive In the
Emitted States, until the wrongs OF Bel
glum were under process OF being
rtehied. those wrongs would cry aloud
a1 every decent-thinklng person and
snake them insist that the war shall 80
on 10 n successful conclusion. and fur
eher Tint the perpetrators of the hide
Gus deeds 10 belgium be punished
The Official Belgian information sery-
See Inns pro 'nred facts showing the
situation ~ he Belgium territory occu.
pied by the Germans az the present
time. Not al If the stories that have
hecn published from time to time give
such complete summary OF actual
&AH'fttkNAN ~ AAttH HAWtFttNNl NniAlhttu
FROM the latest reports which show
che great necessity 10 continue the
work that has been carried on for more
than three years In America for the
relief % the people In Belgium. II
seems almost Incredible that any ma.
tioR calling Itself civilized could lnfilct
upon the people OF small nation the
horrors which are described In the fol.
Sowing.
The Material Suffering.
In the material domain never has
there been seen brlgandnge so meth.
oiical or 40 complete. War contribu.
lions alone have up 10 the present
time, drained the country OF nearly two
billions OF francs, These are sttli be-
Ins cailected 70 the amount OF sixty
million francs q month. To this sum
must be added fines upon scores OF
fh0paands OF individuals and the levles
and lines imposed upon the hlmlest
pretexts, upon numerous localities, the
total of which amounts 10 several hun.
dred millions. The deposits Of the mn.
uonnl bank and the General Society OF
Helgtuin, amounting Ca four hundred
thirty millions OF marks were seized.
Ihe stocks Of raw materials, the ma.
rhinery, In short all the economic
equipment have been requisitloned and
E carried away. Az the beginning OF 1915
p the German deprcdatious In Belgium
seere estimated az eight billion francs.
II would be difficult to make even an
approximate estimate Of them today.
The Invaders have plundered aud are
often demOllshing the factories. not
only 70 send the machinery aud the
old iron TO Germany. but for the
nvowcd purpose OF running belgian In.
siustry after the war They are now
pianderlng private dnmiciles Their
uloilations extend 10 bedding. cloth.
InK casSeroles. window knobs. rods
and objects of art All that centuries
of high civilization aud long years
NJ tabor had accumulated la the coun-
~ has been devOured by the monster.
fhe bella n many churches, the statues
So the public squares OF Al0st aud
Mons aud the monuments In many
cemeteries have been sent Co the foun.
dry The systematic destruction OF the
FORESTS goes on, on large scale. More
than two thousand haFEcS have been
selnesi. Horses have practically disap,
prared.
Famine and piseassa
The cessation % labor. the obstacles
placed to the employment " those
without work. the acquisitions OF ms,
shiusFy and cattle, as well as vexntlons
OF all sorts have oace more evoked
that plague which we believed to have
bern forever overcome la Eurpp,.-
famine.
Wording In close 90 operation with
the Belgian and allied governments
the commission for relief IN Rs1.lurn
hns striyen by all possible means h.
tesSrn tn horrors and % fscillfaf. an.
tnoTnous task assumed by the r.
u"nai ronmlttce on lurl sunni, n,
hsiT Il has hrcn confronted hy ,rr-