SLAVES OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2951, 11 December 1916, Page 6

SLAVES OF WAR

UNITED STATES PROTEST AGAINST THE ...' DEPORTATIONS FRIENDLY' BUT MOST SOLEMN (Rec. JDecember 9, C.30 p.m.) ' Washington, December 8. The,,text. of America's protest against the deportation of Belgians is as follows :— The Government of the United States lias learned with the greatest concern and regret of the policy of the; German Government in.de-Ijorting-from Belgium a portion of tlio.aijvilian population for the purpose of forcing them to labour in • Germany. Tho United States Govemitteut is. constrained to protest, in «■ friendly ■ spirit, but most solemnly, against this action, which , is i contravention of all precedents and principles of international Practice amongst civilised nations, in the treatment of non-comba-t/ants in conquered'territory. Furthermore, the Government is convinced that the effect of thie'pol- ■' ioy, if pursued, will in all prob- ' ability be fatal to relief work in • Belgium, which would bo generally ' deplored, and which assuredly will seriously embarrass the German Government. BRUTAL SLAVERYWU MEREPITTANCE . (Rec. December 9, 5.25 p.m.) London, December 8. The "Daily Telegraph's" Milan correspondent states that sixteen hundred thousand-Poles have been'deported and forced to work in the German mines, agricultural areas, and munition factories. They are practically slaves. The men are jpaid 9d. and the women 6d., with which they feed and clothe themselves. If they refuse to work the soldiers beat- them. They are frequently imprisoned and kept on starvation, rations until they submit.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. >

THE RAIDS CONTINUE. " : (Rec. December 10, 5.5 p.ni,)' , Amsterdam, December'lO. Ahe Germans are resuming their deportations from North! France. Six thousand men have been sent iii cattle trucks from Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoine andCambral to Dusseldorf and Essen! inere have also been deportations from tile Namur Province in Belgium — Renter..