THE IRON HAND IN BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2701, 22 February 1916, Page 5

THE IRON HAND IN BELGIUM

HOW THE COUNTRY IS BEING

SQUEEZED

STATEMENT BY SIR EDWARD fe GREY

(By Telegraph—Pres9 Assn.—Copyright.) (Keceivcd February 21, 4 ; p.m.) • London; February 21. Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has issued a copy of a memorandum, which was sent to the Belgian Minister in response to frequent representations of the impending ruin of Belgian industries and universal unemployment. Sir Edward Grey slates that he understands that there is a strong feeling among the Belgians that their distress is attributable solely to the action of the Allies in preventing imports. It has been often contended that this action does not appreciably ham Germany, while it involves ' painful loss to ihe people' of' our Ally. Britain is not convinced- that Belgian industry can be maintained without considerable gain to the enemy. Still, the Government'is anxious to assist Belgium, and, therefore, has permitted I certain exports from Belgium. For the same reason, it has permitted the importation of raw materials to Belgium through the Relief Commission. Undertakings were' demanded from the Germans, where the Government permit the free importation of raw material, that they should allow the exports of goods manufactured therefrom through the Relief Commission. The Germans were also to leave free from embargo or requisition stocks of similar Taw Materials and manufactured articles re-' maining in the country. The scheme was submitted to the Germans four months ago, but no reply was received. ' The memorandum shows how Belgium is being used to supply Germany. The Germans are determined to enter into 110 arrangement for the relief of Belgium until they have taken, from the country the last ounce of material, and caused widespread destitution, forcing Belgian labour to emigrate to Germany. The German policy should be fully ex- . posed.. The exports from Belgium to Germany in November by one route totalled seventeen .thousand- . tans of coal, .6100 tons of phosphnfts, I<X) tons of lead, 1350 tbns of- ore, and-16a0 tons of briquettes. The previous exports included 1600 casks of tanning extract. Half the output of the iielgian textile mills have been requisitioned;' and all the most essential materials in Belgium are controlled in the German interest. Now that the fixed policy of the Germans to impoverish the country stands revealed, Britain must disclaim responsibility towards the Belgians for evils which the enemy has caused and refuses to remover