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Show MM ATROCIOUS ! DEEDS OF TEUTON, 1 Ninety Thousand Belgians Are Made Slaves Relief Stores Are Seized, WASHINGTON, April 8. The grossest gross-est brutality inflicted on the civil population pop-ulation of Belgium by the German military mili-tary forces now occupying more than 90 per cent of tho territory of King Albert's domain are graphically described de-scribed in letters, the "private communications commu-nications of an American official in Belgium," made public by tho state department de-partment tonight. The letters, it is believed, may be those of Brand WhitlocE", American minister to Belgium, who, following upon the German occupation, remained ( nt the legation in Brussels until very recently, but as to the exact identity of their author the state department maintained official silence. "Tho campaign of frightfulness" as the surest method of the preservation of discipline and order among an alien population is dwelt upon In the letters at great length, with numerous illustrations" illus-trations" of the methods employed by the kaiser's military officers in dealing deal-ing with the Belgians. Many Atrocious Deeds. In particular the harshness with which the deportation orders were executed ex-ecuted is dwelt upon in the communications. communi-cations. The German masters of the Belgian people inaugurated wholesale conscription for the transportation of Belgian men to the fields and Industrial Indus-trial workshops of Germany. Bribery, threats and atrocious physical violence were resorted to by the Germans to bring the Belgians to time. The letters describe the conduct of the German military officials as transcending in violence many of the acts incident to the French revolution. One letter, dated last December, says : "It is really quite pitiful to see how the Belgians look to America in a crisis cri-sis like this." Relief Stores Seized. The reference was to the relief work of the United States among the Belgian Bel-gian population, for the letters previously previ-ously asserted that the Germans had taken every advantage of the American Ameri-can relief measures to supply the Belgians Bel-gians to wring from the Belgians even' ev-en' ounce of life for their own use. According to the letters, the deportations deporta-tions of Belgian men to German fields of industrial and agricultural activity number between 60.000 and 90,000, and the writer said: "The intention to continue the policy pol-icy seems unaltered." Brutality in many instances marked the industrial recruiting. The letters say that much depended upon the character of the German commander to whom happened to fall the duty of recruiting the Belgians. Uhlans picketed pick-eted the groups of men to be transferred, trans-ferred, and the menace of the machine gun was ever at hand, and oft times used. Sample Cases. The letters continue: "At Arlon, a small town in the province prov-ince of Luxemburg, practically even' male was taken. In mallnes, where Cardinal Mercier resides, a town of some 10,000 people, 1200 rtfen were removed re-moved last week. This is a pretty thorough thor-ough reaping. "It is understood various methods are employed to force the men who refuse to sign to work. Starvation is the most prominent. Men are said to be placed in an excessively heated room and when in great sweat are thrust out of doors. Internment in a punishment camp at Reech, near Mun-8ter, Mun-8ter, Is likewise reported. There the men are said to be gravely abused and maltreated. Several rat bites are reported and every sort of cruelty is said to be practiced." In conclusion the report says that the men deported from the industrial communities of northern France suffer suf-fer even worse treatment than that meted out to the Belgians. Underfeeding of the most distressing character is reported with regard to both Belgians and Frenchmen. |