to slavery.’  In either case, it means exile, deportation, forced labour in the interests of the enemy, and against the interests of our country:  formidable punishments, the cruellest ever invented by tyranny for the punishment of crimes—­and what are the crimes alleged?...  On the western front, Belgian workmen—­your brothers and ours—­are being forced to dig trenches, to build aviation camps, to fortify the German lines, and when the victims, in spite of everything, are firm in their refusal to take part in work forbidden by International Law, they are starved and beaten into illness, wounded, and sometimes even killed.

“In Germany, they are turned on to work in mines, and at lime-kilns, quite regardless of their age, profession, or trade.  Youths of seventeen, old men of seventy, are deported in haphazard masses. Is not this a revival of ancient Slavery with all its horrors?...  Do you know, brothers, what the Germans throw to their victims by way of pay? 30 pfennigs (3d.) a day!

    “Workers:  Never forget that the soldiers-who are
    acting as the torturers or our Belgian workmen are
    themselves German workers!

“In the depths of our distress, we count on you.  It is for you to act!  For ourselves, even if brute force succeeds for the moment in reducing our bodies to servitude, we shall never give our consent.

    “A final word:  Whatever tortures we may undergo, we do
    not wish for Peace except with the independence of our
    country and the triumph of justice.

    “THE WORKMEN OF BELGIUM.”

FOOTNOTES: 

[32] By levying on Belgium a war contribution which already exceeds L40,000,000—­by transporting to Germany food, merchandise and various products to the value of more than L200,000,000—­by seizing and despatching to their own country the greater portion of our raw material, machines and accessories—­by issuing threatening edicts to prevent localities from using the unemployed on their own important works of public utility.

CONCLUSION

What is our object?

Is it to incite our soldiers to commit, if chance arises, atrocities like theirs?  We repudiate with horror a thought such as that. Defensive reprisals (asphyxiating gas, liquid fire, etc.) are sometimes indispensable.  Reprisals for revenge would be unworthy of us.  But—­without speaking of personal punishments, demanded by outraged conscience, and essential in order that the two indivisible principles of right and of responsibility may still exist in the world—­we must make it absolutely impossible for the Wild Beast to break out again.  And how, when the settling time draws near, and, in spite of weariness, a new effort is needed to realise conditions of peace with guarantees for the future—­how could the Allied Nations accept the sacrifices still demanded of them, if they remained in ignorance?