d 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?

It is not enough for these crimes to be known by Governments and by a
few hundred people with leisure and inclination to read collections of
great volumes. They must be known by everybody, by the entire people, by
the People, who--in our proud and free countries--control, support,
direct their Governments and are the sole masters of their own destiny.

Our p