THE SLAVE DRIVERS

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 6

THE SLAVE DRIVERS

A NEUTRAL PROTEST. John C. A an der Veer, London editor of ■■■ 4 “flteir shameless' lust cmdtv^an? I'^ 1 '^ robbed the surviving population of their ]Wp khoorl. AA hilo all this happened in the n' vaded countries under swav of " authority, his military CL wag d ori’hud and sea a warfare as inhumane „ That*in olden times was carried on by the Huns of who at least, did not mask his misdeeds under a religions cloak. It becomes C\eiy day more surprising that, there are still with” Powc" 68 U fl ' iCnd,y rehu i° ns wnn a, lower which has made itself the a im/ nr w t,, . c - wholc , of humanity and civilis" 1 , m Hjrai >: a d «y pawed in the more than two-years course of the, war that Gershocl- of i not ? T° Ule "’ holc Wor,d a fresh shock of horror by some act of her systematic fnghtlnlness. And black as already is mi long register of misdeeds, what to-day is happening m Belgium beats all records of German unualitv. For Heaven's'sake, let the whole world note and pay due regard to the modern slave-drives m that unhappy and over' ve'irs’Thc r* e - count r- v - For ™rs than two Ac.us the Belgians who remain in their countr'Ti , !Uld are ke P f - Ikero forcibly by their ruthless German taskmasters have heroically endured (lie greatest hardships and sufferings, but never allowed tlie Germans to undermine their steadfast loyally to their own country and King. Continued requisitions reduced them to misery. They were not only deprived of their own foodstuffs, but to sonic extent also of what was sent from out side for their relief. Their tools wore expropriated, their factories depleted of machinery and raw material. Even their metal household utensils w-ere taken away, and all went to sustain Ihc German army of invasion, which had already largely ruined and devastated BelBut, in spite of German rapacity and terrorism tlie Belgian population as a whole bucked up ’ bravely, and could never bo made to sing "Germany above all." And now, after the German authorities have succeeded by their wanton desolating policy in causing much unemployment in Belgium, they ti.se that as a pretext to carry off tho remaining young manhood of that suffering country not by tens or hundreds but hv thousands, and compel them to work in Germany on various war materials used against Iheir own country and their King's army. Was there ever a policy more cruel, unjust, and inhumane? —A “ Real Blessing.”— The infamy of the Germans is made worse by their excuses. We find that General Von Biasing, the German Military Governor in Belgium, told the Berlin correspondent of the ‘Now York Times’; “The removal of (Belgian! workmen is neither a hardship for (.he country nor for the population, but. is a, necessity caused by the war, which, on the whole, is a real blessing to Belgian workmen.’ What? The war which destroyed tho prosperity of their country is a blessing to the Belgians! Rmdi things can only occur In a Prussian. And if their forcible removal is no hardship, why then do the Belgians try to escape? Many of them succeeded in getting over the frontier io Holland, lint scores of fugitives were shot by Gorman .sentries, who were, purposely increased on tho Bclgian-Dutch frontier and threatened with severe punishment, if 1 hoy let anyone escape. Other fugitives stuck on the electrified wires at. tint frontier, and were thus killed. Yet, General Aon Hissing dares to say that the deported Belgians go “cheerfully” io Germany. The real fads arc well known in Holland, and daily reported in our Press. The frontier correspondent of onr own paper, who lias good opportunities to learn what is going on in Belgium, and by whom the impending fate of Captain Fryatt was first, announced, told ns weeks ago that preparations were being made to remove I lie young men. Germany is careful enough to select those most useful io her. Their ages run from 17 and 18 to 55 and 40. Only old men arc left behind, being I lie least useful to cither Belgium or Germany. No class is spared. Citizens of good standing join the fate of the real unemployed. Mon tiro taken from the Hold, factories, workshops, and offices. Tradesmen, officials, members of the Civic Guard, and even young priests arc collectctl like slaves. They are packed as cattle in railway trucks, and in that position they sometimes have to wait, a day nr longer before going off. At. Dendermonde a train full of the dcpn’tcd wailed 36 hours, a ltd all that, time they were left without food. And they go "cheerfully.’ 1 says A’on Hissing, the chief slave-driver! The following incident is significant ;—Tint miners of AA’ini erslag, a village j M Belgian Limburg, were told in the first week of this month that they could sign a list to go voluntarily Io work in Germany. ’ They all refused. Then the German authorities closed the coal niinep amt announced that the men would be transported In Germany. Such things happen everywhere in Belgium. About 50,000 Belgian* are reported a» having been removed from Antwerp and its surroundings. —Secret Destination.— It. is. said that frora Ghent and ils suburbs already 16,000 citizens have been removed. The first party left a month ago, and iheir relations have not since heard of them. Their destination was kept, secret. Nothing is made known about, the particular work which the. deported Belgians arc compelled to perform in Germany. But there are rumors that, many of them are set. to work in munition factories to make shells for killing their own fathers, brothers, and countrymen. Germany is capable of anything. But, can the world, in particular can neutrals, allow this to go on? Already two weeks ago our paper published s strong protest. Other Dutch newspapers followed suit. Also, meetings of protest arc being held in Holland. That, protest ought to be followed in all other neutral countries. Justice demands it, and she knows no neutrality. But the Allies themselves liave a great interest in this matter. Great Britain especially. She has been very generous with money and facilities to keep the, oppressed Belgian population alive while the Germans robbed them of their own foodstuffs. AVfiat will happen now? Deprived of many thousands of strong young men frora their fields and workshops, the misery of the remaining Belgian population must inevitably increase*. They will want more foodstuffs from outside than before, and meanwhile German}' wdf benefit directly by the labor of the deported Belgians to sustain the war! That requires an indignant protest which will he hoard throughout the world and alsq ao Berlin. In the face of such iniquities I care less than ever for neutrality, and if 3 meeting of protest should be held my humble aid will be gladly given to rousing a wave of indignation and enthusiastic determination to make Germany yay dearly fol all her wickedness.

The girl who has masi-ercd the piano find no difficulty •wiUi a man.