The Raymer enterprise., 1918-01-10
appeals and German answera

nicipality)
The municipal council resolves to
maintain Its attitude Of refusal.
1T further feels 1t its duty to place
ON record the following:
The city Of Journal is prepared to
submit unreservedly to all the exigen.
cies authorized by the laws and Gus
toms Of war. Its sincerity cannot be
questioned. For more than two years
It has submitted to the German occu.
patton, during which time 1t has lodged
and lived at close quarters with the
German troops, yet It has displayed
perfect composure and has refrained
from any act Of hostility, proving
thereby that It Is animated by no idle
spirit Of bravado.
In his declaration dated September
?, 1914. the German governor general
OF Belgium declared: I ask none to
renounce his patriotic sentiments
THE city Of Journal reposes con.
ndence In this decoration. which 1t is
bound to consider as the sentiment of
the German emperor, In whose name
the governor general was speaking. In
accepting the Inspiration Of honor and
patriotism, the city Is loyal to a funda-
mental duty, the loftiness of which
must be apparent to any German Off.
Ger.
Answer 10 Lecture and Fine.
"Tournai, 23rd October. 1916.
In permitting itself, through the
medium Of municipal resolutions, to
oppose the orders Of the German mill.
tary authorities In the occupied ter
ritory. the city is guilty Of an unexam-
pied arrogance and Of complete mis-
understanding Of the situation created
by the state Of war.
1.-THE clear and simple situation 10
In reality the following:
'"The military authorities order the
city to obey. Otherwise the city must
bear the heavy consequences, as have
pointed out In my previous e1plana-
tions.
"The general commanding the army
has inflicted on the city--on account
OF Its refusal, up to date, to furnish
the lists demanded-a punitive con-
tribution Of 100000 marks. which must
be paid within the next six days. be-
ginning with today. The general also
adds that until such time as all the
lists demanded are in his hands, for
every day In arrears. beginning with
December 81, 1915, sum of 10000
marks will be paid by the city.
HOPPER, Major General,
"Etappen-Kommandant."
The Commission Syndicate Of Bel
gian workingmen also attempted to in
duce the German authorities to aban-
don their terrible plans.
Reeited Wrongs Of Workmen.
Commission Syndicate OF Belgium,
Brussels, 30th Oct, 1919.
ITO the Governor General of Belgium. ]
"Excellency: The measures which
are being planned BY your admins
tration to force the unemployed to
work for the invading power, the de-
portation Of our unhappy comrades
which has begun in the region Of the
etapes, move most profoundly the en-
tire working class In Belgium.
"The undersigned, members and rep
resentatlves Of the great central So
ciallst and Independent syndlcales Of
Belgium, would consider that they had
not fulfilled their duty did they not ex-
press to you the painful sentiment
which agitate the laborers and convey
to you the echo of their touching COM
plants.
"For more than two years the Ia
boring class more than any other has
been forced to undergo the most bit
ter trials, experiencing misery and
often hunger. while Its children far
away fight and die. and the parents
of these children can never convey 10
them the affection with which their
hearts are oyerfowing:
Pathetic Appeal Disreoarded.
"Our laborlng class has endured
everything with the utmost calm and
the most impressive dignity, represslng
its sufferings, Its complaints and heavy
trials, sacrificing everything to Its
ideal Of liberty and Independence. But
the measures which have been an
nounced will make the population drain
the dregs (of the cup) Of human sor-
row; the proletarlat. the poor upon
whom unemployment has been forced,
citizens of a modern state, are to be
condemned to forced labor without
having dIsobeyed any regulation or
order.
I'm the name Of the families of
workmen among which the most pain
full anxiety reigns at present, whose
mothers, whose fiancees, and whose
little children are destined to shed SO
many more tears. we beg your excel.
lency to prevent the accomplishment
Of this painful act, contrary to In
ternatlonal law, contrary to the dig.
nifty Of the working classes, contrary
to everything which makes for worth
and greatness in human natrue.
1--WE beg your excellency to pardon
our emotion and we offer you the hon.
age Of our distinguished consideration"
(Appended are signatures Of men,