[Sidenote: A solemn protest by United States.]
"The Government of the United States has learned with the greatest
concern and regret of the policy of the German Government to deport
from Belgium a portion of the civilian population with the result
of forcing them to labor in Germany, and is constrained to protest
in a friendly spirit but most solemnly against this action which is
in contravention of all precedent and those humane principles of
international practice which have long been accepted and followed by
civilized nations in their treatment of noncombatants in conquered
territory. Furthermore, the Government of the United States is
convinced that the effect of this policy if pursued will in all
probability be fatal to the Belgian relief work so humanely planned
and so successfully carried out, a result which would be generally
deplored and which, it is assumed, would seriously embarrass the
German Government."
[Sidenote: Other neutrals support American protest.]
This protest was followed by those of the Pope, the King of Spain, the
Government of Switzerland, and other neutrals. They were of no avail,
except, perhaps, to lead the German authorities to draw a tighter veil
over their detestable proceedings. But the evidence has in some measure
come through, although the full facts will not be known until the
liberation of heroic Belgium.
In the _Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung_ of December 2, 1916, the
following protests appeared, made, respectively, by Socialist Deputy
Haase and Deputy Dittmann, members of the Reichstag: