The daily Alaskan., 1918-02-19

the province of Antwerp to commun1- cate them to the people:
 "The governor of Antwerp, Baron yon HOlningen, General vOn Huene, has authorized me to Inform you In hls name and to communicate by your obliging Intermediary to our popula- tions, the three following declara- tons:
 "D The young men need not fear being taken to Germany, either to be enrolled into the army or to be em- ployed at 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- sIblllty 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 were 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 at Luttre the German authorities post ed notice demanding return to work. On April Fist, POO workmen were call ed for. On April 27th soldiers went to fetch the wOrkmen from their homes and take them to the arsenal. In the absence of workman, mem- Der of the family was arrested.
 Workmen Imprisoned on Trains.
 However, the men maintained their refusal to work, because they were unwilling to cooperate In acts of war against their country
 "On May 4th, 24 workmen detained In prison at Nlvelles were tried at Mons by court-martial, 'on the charge of being members of secret society, having for its aim to thwart the carry ing out of German military measures They were condemned to imprlson- ment.
 "On May 9th, 1915, 4S workmen were shut up in a freight car and taken to Germany.
 "On May 14th, 45 men were deport- ed to Germany.
 "On May 18th a 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 104 work men were sent toward CharlerO!."
 "A similar course was adopted at Mallnes, where hy 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 1t were not plain that this material would become war material sooner or later.
 Stopped All Traffic In Mallnes-
 "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 a. ID. on Wednesday, June 2d, 800 wOrkmen had not presented themselves for work at the arsenal.
 "On Wednesday, June 2d, not single man appeared. Accordingly, a complete StOppage took place of every vehicle within a radius of several kilO- meters of the town.
 Several workmen were taken by force and kept two or three days at the arsenal.
 The commune of Sweyeghm (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 Menln in July-August, 1915: By order: From today the town will no longer afford aid of any descrip- tlon-includlng assistance to their families, wives, and chlldren-to any operatives except those who work regularly at military work, and other tasks assigned to them. All other op- eratlves 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 HarIebekelez- Court raj. Blsseghem. LOSeren, and Mons. From HnrlphnEn 2A inhnhitNntS were