"The commune of _Sweveghem_ (Western Flanders) was punished in June, 1915, because the 350 workmen at the private factory of M. Bekaert refused to make barbed wire for the German Army. "The following notice was placarded at _Menin_ in July-August, 1915: 'By order: From to-day the town will no longer afford aid of any description--including assistance to their families, wives, and children--to any operatives except those who work _regularly_ at _military work_, and other tasks assigned to them. All other operatives and their families can henceforward not be helped in any fashion.' [Sidenote: Punished for refusal to work for German Army.] "Similar measures were taken in October, 1915, at Harlebekelez-Courtrai, Bisseghem, Lokeren and Mons. From Harlebeke 29 inhabitants were transported to Germany. At Mons, in M. Lenoir's factory, the directors, foremen, and 81 workmen were imprisoned for having refused to work in the service of the German Army. M. Lenoir was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, the five directors to a year each, 6 foremen to 6 months, and the 81 workmen to eight weeks. [Sidenote: Interference with Red Cross.] "The General Government had recourse also to _indirect_ methods of compulsion. It seized the Belgian Red Cross, confiscated its property, and changed its purpose arbitrarily. It attempted to make itself master of the public charities and to control the National Aid and Food Committee. [Sidenote: Trickiness of German rulers of Belgium.] "If we were to cite _in extenso_ the decree of the Governor General of August 4th, 1915, _concerning measures intended to assure the carrying out of works of public usefulness_, and that of August 15th, 1915, '_concerning the unemployed, who, through idleness, refrain from work_,' it would be seen by what tortuous means the occupying Power attempts to attack at once the masters and the men." October 12th, 1915, the German authorities took a long step in the development of their policy of forcing the Belgians to aid them in prosecuting the war. The decree of that date reveals the matter and openly discloses a contempt for international law. DECREE OF OCTOBER 12, 1915. "Article 1. Whoever, without reason, refuses to undertake or to continue work suitable to his occupation, and in the execution of which the military administration is interested, such work being ordered by one or more of the military commanders, will be liable to imprisonment not exceeding one year. He may also be transported to Germany. [Sidenote: Germans flout international law and order Belgians to work for them.] "Invoking Belgian laws or even international conventions to the contrary, can, in no case, justify the refusal to work. "On the subject of the lawfulness of the work exacted, the military commandant has the sole right of forming a decision.