Show Berlin ern Justifies Deportations Saying Sayi Work W Win Stop Fan FaH of Beans Into nto Socia ocia Depravity In By lily Amoebic Ir Res to 0 The Tho Telegram BERLIN Dec Dee 7 Via London Dec 8 The 8 The German and in explanation government issued a statement today to Ger Ger- Belgian laborers justification of the transfer of for forthe forthe forthe hardship many It says the measure is by no means a the laborers but is ie a social necessity Owing chiefly to the British embargo against Belgian i overseas trade which before the war supported a large arge part of the industrial population large numbers of Belgian I workers are idle the statement says and conditions are have become objects of or growing worse Many families public charity This state of things is not due as asserted of raw material it is is in Belgium to German requisitions explained for these requisitions occurred as a rule only where factories were unable to continue operations industries before before be before be- be Of in Belgian engaged fore the war including women are now I wholly without work and including women i iare are partly without work making makina a total of persons I dependent on public aid In addition to these there are aro wives and children of men without work work so that persons or one-fifth one of the total Belgian population require assistance More than francs already has been spent in supporting these persons and francs monthly willbe will willbe be required henceforth These Those masses of idle people the statement says says are aro degenerating and drunkenness and social depravity are aro resulting The German governor general General von Biasing Bissing early recognized the necessity of taking measures to help the Idle to obtain employment He caused municipalities to undertake public works to create employment employments where this was possible without imposing too great al fine financial racial burdens Upon the suggestion of Belgians of practical insight the governor general issued an ordinance in August Augustof of 1915 against persons unwilling to work which was made mad more stringent last March These ordinances provide for compulsory ory transfer of Continued eod on on page puma 2 1 1 I B JUSTIFIES I Continued from page pagel 1 workmen only when Idle persons re refused refused refused re- re fused to accept work worl at reasonable pay without adequate reasons the provisions provisions pro pro- visions of international law protecting tl em against working worling on war material being eing recognized as adequate ground The ordinances ss s were directed chiefly against organized Influences aiming to prevent laborers from accepting work work I voluntarily only because it was offered I by Germans Nevertheless tens of I thousands of them voluntarily accepted work in Germany German at profitable wages The Tho statement goes on to say that the labor situation in fn Belgium has grown Irown worse and that con conditions are arenow arenow arenow now such as to necessitate improvement improvement improvement improve improve- ment hence the ordinances must be enforced more vigorously in n order to relieve the situation Before compulsory compulsory compulsory sory transport however every Idle I person Is s offered the opportunity voluntarily voluntarily voluntarily vol vol- vol to accept profitable work on contract and compulsion is resorted to I only where the laborer stubbornly refuses W Workmen coming to Germany are I placed on the same footing as Germans and are earning higher wages than they ever received in Belgium Steps have been taken to end wend part of their earnings earnings earnings earn earn- ings to their families in Belgium The laborers also are permitted to make male regular visits to their homes and families are allowed to accompany them to Germany if that is desired desired Provision al aNo alo n is made for far religious I in to their own langua language e. e J |