THE SLAVERS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 257, 9 March 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE SLAVERS.

WORKING EOR THE HUN

HOW BELGIANS ARE TREATED

When we hear of prisoners of war refusing to work in the mines and munition works in Germany, it is difficult to realise what that refusal nas cost them and the martyrdom that the men are subjected to in order to force them to yield. The following are one or two of the facts related by Belgian prisoners in the German prison camp of X and printed in Everyman. W'e do not feel justified in giving the name. "These statements," says "Andre Hozay," who was present, and to whom we are indebted for the information, "were made in the camp of X in Z before a number of French and Belgian prisoners, among them many advocates, engineers, professors, all anxious to learn the truth and bring it before the public, that something might be done to put an end to such outrages."

Although still limping badly—his leg was fractured when he was picked up and taken prisoner—Corporal X was among tnose selected on October 26th, 1915, to go and work in the mines at Dortmund. "When we left the camp," said Corporal X , "they told us we would not be asked either to go into the mines or to make munitions. It was not till we actually reached Dortmund that we were told we had to work as miners, and although the week before some Russians had been shamefully maltreated to force them to work, we decided to refuse. Next morning they handed us safetylamps and told us to go into the waiting cages. We all refused, and were struck mercilessly in the presence of the chief officer in command.

"A German came up to me and held out a lamp. I shook my head. Then he kicked me on the legs and in the stomach. I backed away from him till I reached the wall, when ne redoubled his fury. I fell on my knees and he dragged me up by the ears. A sentry tried to make me take a lamp, digging the hook into the flesh of my hands. I was next dragged to the refectroy and made to stand at attention facing the wall while my two comrades underwent the treatment I had received.

"It was not till the following day they allowed me to see a doctor, and though I was limping painfully they would not allow me a stick to walk with." A soldier who had lost one eye was sent, in spite of his infirmity, to the mines at Barrop. "I refused to work, and was therefore shut up for a week in a small cellar with thirty of my comrades. We were lying in water. Privation and hardsliip at last forced us lo give way, but after a few days' work I refus'ed point blank to continue, for the coal dust getting into my eye hurt it terribly. I was struck before witnesses by an officer and threa sentries. Several times they pickel irt up by the arms and legs a:d thing me on the ground on my back." These statements, examples taken at random from the long list all in the same strain, need no commentary. "When these facts," says Andre Hozay, "had been made known to the prisoners at X they all decided with one accord to refuse to leave the camp if ordered —as very often happened—to an unknown destination.

"On February 27th, 1916, at halfpast eight in the morning, 16 French soldiers ordered to leave the camp 'with a work party' presented themselves in the office of Lieutenant M., the German officer in charge of the work in the camp. When the noncommissioned officer ordered them to start they refused, and the noise of the altercation brought Lieutenant M. to the spot to find out what was the matter. 'We do not refuse to work,' said the prisoners, 'provided that we are not asked to work either in a mine or in a munition factory. We wish to know where we are going." In reply, the officer ordered the sentries to take away the prisoners by force. And the poor wretches were driven out of the camp with blows and kicks. I was one of the witnesses of this revolting scene. And one of my friends working on the road outside the camp told me he had seen them pass with their clothes in rags and blood on their faces.

"Four days later the same thing happened again. This time eight Russians refused to start, and flung themselves full length on the ground. At a sign from the same officer the sentries flung themselves oil them, striking them with the butts of their rifles and dragging tlieni by their arms and legs out of the camp. "Three of these martyrs had to be brought hurriedly to the camp hospital, where one of them died the same night. "Next day when a French adjutant respectfully asked the colonel in command of the camp to put an end to these outrages the answer was: —■

" I can do nothing in the matter. 1 have received my orders. At any cost the prisoners must be made to obev." "