In the West.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 82, 5 August 1915, Page 5

In the West.

PLUCK OF THE BELGIANS. REFUSAL tO WORK FOR GERMANS. TOWNS HEAVILY FINED. THE PEOPLE PERSECUTED. Unitbu Prrsh Association. (Received 9.15 a.m.) London, August 4. The Press Bureau publishes the following reports »y tlio Belgain Legation ; The engine drivers at Liege who refused to work a steep railway experienced an odious persecution.

The German railway officials [threatened famine to the non-work-I ers at Luttre, hut the mechanics re- ' fused seven to twenty marks daily, and after several days’ imprisonment were sent to Clermany amid the cheering of the citizens. A few days later 100 were paraded, and the officers called “Lot those who will work i,step to the front.” The whole body stepped to the rear and shouted: “Vive la Belgique!” The Germans then arrested Hesseler, manager ol the Luttre Works, who was thrown into gaol on straw among his mechanics. He was urged to advise them to undertake the civil repairs, hut all refused, and 190 were then sent to Germany.

At Malines the Germans threatenled to fine the city £IO,OOO if the I burgomaster did not supply a list of -the mechanics. No list existed, hut five hundred names were extracted from the register of householders and these were arrested and taken to the workshops and' locked up. They refused to work and their wives took them food. Thereupon the whole population of Malines were forbidden to leave their homes after six o’clock in the evening, and no one could enter or leave the city for home, and for days a reign of terror prevailed.

A violent scene occurred when Cardinal Mercier proposed to quit for Brussels.

No single mechanic of the Central Railway resumed hi s work at Swegehom, and dot) wirewnrkers refused to supply wire. The town was isolated and forbidden to cart provisions in the streets, and the workmen were driven hy force into the wire factory, hut they still refused, and (30 were sent to Conrtrai prison. The wives who were sent after them were odiously maltreated. AH these efforts, however, were useless, a nd a notice was then issued that as the workmen, under a pretence of patriotism and' the Hague Convention, were organising difficulties, the communal authorities would he held responsible, and the present liberties would ho suspended and fresh restrictions imposed.

GERMANS DESERT TO THE DUTCH. United Peess Association. (Received 9.30 a.m.) Paris. August 4. Two thousand German deserters crossed into Holland in June. One hundred and fifty surrendered to the Dutch on hearing they had been ordered to the front, and the frontier being left unguarded enabled six hundred Belgians to escape. NIGHT ATTACKS REPULSED. United Piiess Association (Received 9.3 a.m.) Paris, August 4. A communique states: In 'the Argonue the enemy made two night attacks, one between Hill 213 and in the ravine of Fontaine Anx Ahtrmos, and the other in the region of Marie Therese. The assailants were everywhere thrown hack by infantry and artillery tire. We repulsed a counterattack at Barrcnkopf. AN OFFICIAL REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— London. August 4, (0.5 p.m.) In tin 1 Argonue two German nrtacks resulted in the enemy being thrown back, in the Vosges, the

lighting with grenades continues in th the Allies’ favour. At Barrcnkopf a German attack was repulsed.