The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-02-28
GERMAN ATROCITIES
In These Columns Will Be Published a Series
OF Articles Describing Some Of The AL
mo- most Unbelievable Crimes Of Germany.
lhe Truth of These Accounts Has Been
Established by the u. S. Government.


mas authorized me to inform you io his
name and to communicate by your
obliging intermediary to our popula.
tions, the three following declara-
tions:
I'D The young men need not fear
Deing taken to Germany, either to be
enrolled into the army or to be en-
ployed at forced labors.
"2) II individual infractions of no.
ice regulations are committed. the
authorities Will institute a search for
the responsible authors and will pun-
ish them, without placing the respon-
sDllity on the entire population.
"t3) The German and Belgian an.
thorities will neglect nothing to see
that food Is assured to the popula.
tion."
These promises were not kept, as
cardinal Mercier and his colleagues
show by abundant evidence In the CAD.
peal to Truth"
"On March 23d, 1915, at the arsenal
at Luttre the German authorities post-
Ell ncliee demanding return to work
On April 21st, 200 workmen were call
ed for. On April 27th soldiers went
to fetch the workmen from their
hoInes and take them to the arsenal
In the abSence OF Il workman, q men,
Der OF the family was arrested.
Workmen Imprisoned on Trains.
'liowever, the men maintained tbe,r
refusal to work, because they were
uh">Hing to cooperate in acts of war
against their country
"On May 4th. "a workmen detained
In prison ut Nivelles were tried ot
Mons by court-martial, 'on the charge
or being members OF secret society.
having for its aim to thwart the carry.
ing out of German military measures
lhey were condemned to imprison-
mcnt.
"On May 9th, 1915, 4S workmon
were shut up in a freight car and
taken to Germany.
"On May 18th. 45 men were deport-
cd to Germany.
'On May 18th q fresh proclamation
announced that the prisoners would
receive only dry bread and water, and
hot food only every four days. On
May I'D three cars with lO4 work
men were sent toward Charleroi."
"A similar course was adopted Mt
Mnlines, where by various methods
or intimidation, the German authori-
ties attempted to force the workers at
the arsenal to work on material for
the railways. as If 1t were not plain
that this material would become war
material sooner or later.
Stopped All Traffic In MaIInes.
"On May 30th, 1915, the governor
general announced that he would be
Obliged to punish the town of Malines
and Its suburbs by stopping all COM
mercial traffic If by 10 q. m. on
Wednesday, June I'd, 500 workmen
had not presented themselves for work
mt the arsenal.
"On Wednesday,, June I'd, not a
single man appeared. Accordingly, a
complete stoppage took place Of every
vehicle within n radius of several kllo-
meters Of the town.
Several wOrkmen were taken by
force and kept two or three days at
the arsenal.
"The commune Of Sweveghm (west-
ern Flanders) was punished in June,
1915, because the $50 workmen at the
private factory of NJ. Bekuert refused
to make barbed wire for the German
army.
'The following notice was placnrd.
ed at Menin in JulyAugust 1915:
by order: From today the town will
no longer afford aid Of any descrip-
tion-including assistance to their
families, wives, and children-t0 any
ttyn
regularly Mt 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.
"Similnr measures were taken In
October, 1918. at Harlebekelez- Court
raj, Bisscghcm, Lokeren, and Mons.
From Harlebeke 20 inhabitants were
transported to Germany. At Mons,
In M. 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. M.
Lenoir was sentenced to five years ~,
prisonment, the five directors to
year each. six foremcn to six months,
and the 81 workmpn to eight weeks.
"The general government had re-
course also to indirect methods of
compusiOn. II seized the Belgian
Red Cross, cOnfiscatcd Its 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 unem-
ployed, who, through idleness, refrain
from work. 1t would be seen by what
tOrtuOus means the occupying power
attempts to attack at once the mas
ters and the men,"
Fines imposed Without Reason.
The German authorities were not
satisfied with one impOyerishing levy.