Gunnison news-champion., 1919-01-24

6v 0ooUoeo ond Heavy Pt0o
oMpessd ~ osaseal ssspsse.
Over tie sarnest protsss Of Cerdi-
nal Nsrcisr, heroic Assd Of tie
cAvreA q Bslgism. The tsribls
plans Of As kaissTs AigA officers
cosess~iss Ms deportation Of the
people vsvs ossrisd ovs. The sol-
smsly pledged Vord Of tie Gsrmas
governor general Of Belgis~ eosat-
ed a nothing in the malignant hate
shors BY the kdisers creatures.
Cardinal Mercier attempted to per.
suadc the German authorities to aban-
don their terrible. plnns for the seizure
OF Belgians to assist In the prosecu-
tion OF the war. reminding them Of
their solemn promises In the past:
'Malincs. 18th October, 1915.
"AIr. Governor General:
THE day after the surrender Of Ant
werp the frightened population asked
Itself what would become Of the Bel
CLANS Of age to bear arms or who would
reach that age before the end Of the
occupation. The entreaties Of the fa.
theirs and mothers Of families deter
mined me to question the governor Of
Antwerp, Baron Won Huene, who had
the kindness to reassure me and to
authorize me In his name to reassure
the agonixed parents. The rumor had
spread at Antwerp. nevertheless. that
at Lege. Nnmur. ard Charleroi young
men had been seized and taken by
force to Germany. therefore beg
ged Governor Won Huene to be good
enough to confirm to me In writing the
guarantee which he had given to me
orally. to the effect that nothing sim
liar would happen at Antwerp. He
said to me Immediately that the ru-
mors concerning deportations were
without basis, and unhesitatingly he
sent me In writing, among other state-
ments. the following: Young men have
no reason to fear that they will be ta-
ken to Germany. either to be there en-
rolled In the army or employed for
forced labor
This declaration. written and Eign-
ed, was publicly transmitted to the
clergy and to those OF the faith Of
the province Of Antwerp. as your excel.
lency can see from the document en-
closed herewith. dated October 18th.
1914. which was read In all the church.
eE
Solemn German Promlsss Broken.
"Upon the aryival Of your predeces-
sor, the late Baron Won der 0oltx, at
Brussels had the honor Of presenting
myself at his house and requested him
to be good enough to ratify for the en-
tire country. without time limit, the
guarantees which General Won Huene
had given me for the province Of Ant
wefp. The governor general retained
this request In his possession In order
to examine It at his leisure. The fol-
lowing day he was good enough to
come In person to Malines to bring me
his approval, and confirmed to me, In
the presence Of two aides-ds-camp and
Of my private secretary. the promise
that the liberty Of Belgian citizens
would Be respected.
10 doubt the authority Of such un-
dertakings would have been to reflect
upon the persons who had made them,
and I therefore took steps to allay, By
al the means Of persuasion IN my
power, the anxeties which peesisted IN
the interested families.
"Notwithstandins all this. your gov.
ernment now tears from their homes
wosknen reduced In spite Of their ef-
forts to q state Of unemploymsnt. sep
arates them BY force from thsir wives
and children and deports them to en-
emy territory. Numerous workmen
hnve already undergone this unhappy
lot more numerous are those who are
threatened with the same acts Of vio-
lence.
Msrelsrs Moving Appeal. .
'.In the name Of the liberty OF domi.
cile and the liberty Of work Of Belgian
citizens; in the name Of the fnyioia-
PbIlity offamIIles: in the name Of NOR
al interests which the measures Of de-
portation would gravely compromise
in the name Of the word given by the
governor Of the Province Of Antwerp
and by the governor general. the i'm
mediate representative Of the highest
authority Of tie German empire. l re-
spectfully beg your excellency to be
good enough to withdraw the measures
II forced labor and Of deportation an
nounced to the Belgian workmen. and
to be good enough to reinstate In their
homes those who have already been
deported.
"Your excellency will appreciate how
pninfdl for me would be the weight Of
the responsibility thnt l would have
TO bear as regards these families, Il
the confidence which they have given
sou through my agency and at my re-
lnest were lamentably deceived.
II persist in believing that this Will
not be the case.
accept, Mr.. Governor General. the
assurance Of my very high considera.