BELGIAN SLAVE RAID.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 2 April 1917, Page 6

BELGIAN SLAVE RAID.

1 EYE-WITNESS'S ACOUNT. UHLANS FOR THE CRUEL WORK. A witness of some of the slave raids which' took place in a small town of an agricultural province of Belgium gave to the London Times the following description of what he saw on one occasion:— More than twenty-five thousand men have already heen deported from this province, which also suffered very severely during the invasion. In several villages all the men who were spared during the horrors of the early days of the war have now been taken away.

All the men were obliged to present themselves in the seminary, where they were exaxmined by some German officers. I had my watch in my hand. The examinations lasted on an average exactly ten seconds for each man. All the young ones had to go, without any distinction whatever. So had the skilled workmen, whatever their age. I saw very old men taken in this way.

The anxiety of the families cannot be described. From the time when the call was received everything had heen done to try to comfort, if possible, the deported in their exile. The women have worked all night in order to prepare some-clothes, they .have spent their last reserve of money to buy some linen, 'a pair of boots, and a few provisions. During the long procession of the men, lasting from 7 o'clock in the morning till 1 o'clock in the afternoon, they have gathered in the market place awaiting the sentence which will take from them husband or son. They cry, moan, and protest. !«■•«:'■!'

In order to keep the women away from the buildings where the examination takes place and to conduct those to be deported to the station, some Uhlans have been especially called from the front. The men of the Landsturm cannot be trusted for such cruel work. They lack decision, and some of them, worn down by long absence from their homes, have grown soft-hearted and are ready to pity those people among whom they have lived. They seem to understand that, whatever happens, their Germany, the Germany of their small homes, is ruined. I even heard some of them encouraging the Belgians in their resistance, and advising them not to sign an engagement to work for Germany.

No. such meekness can be feared from the Uhlans. I have seen them at work, and they proved to be the worthy companions of those whose mission it was at the beginning of the war to spread terror among the French and Walloon peasantry. They are in line before th e seminary where the human cattle are sorted, and, revolver in hand, they face the women. Even after all we have heard about German atrocities the scene which occurred there seems scarcely believable, and if I had not seen it with my own eyes I should have certainly had my doubts.

Listen to this, for instance. An old

■woman 75 years of age was pushing through the crowd in order to see if her son, her husband, or -her grandson were among those taken away. A Landsturmer belonging to the garrison, who knew her, took her gently by the shoulder in order to keep her back. As the old woman went on wailing, and tried to free herself a Uhlan came near her, a big young fellow, and deliberately, with all his strength, thrust his fist in the old woman's face. All the surrounding 'women burst out crying and protesting, but several Uhlans joined their comTade and began to beat the crowd with the butts of their rifles. The boom of the guns at Verdun could be heard during the whole scene.

"When the Germans heard cf the Kaiser's peac e offer they lit large fires in the village to celebrate the occasion. And the Belgians? These are the words of a mother, talking of her son who is fighting on the Yser, "If he is not to come back to me victorious, I should prefer tnat he should never come back."

It is said that from Ghent and its suburbs already 16,000 citizens have been removed. The first party left a month ago, and their relations have not since hearo* of them. Their destinrtion was kept secret. Nothing is made known about the particular work which the deported Belgians are compelled to perform in Germany. But there are rumours that many of them are set to work in munition factories to make shells for killing their own fathers, brothers and countrymen. Germany is capable of anything.