"The city is confident that the straightforwardness and clearness of this attitude will prevent any misunderstanding arising between itself and the German Army." GERMAN REPLY TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF TOURNAI. "TOURNAI, _23rd October, 1916_. [Sidenote: And is roundly lectured and fined.] "In permitting itself, through the medium of municipal resolutions, to oppose the orders of the German military authorities in the occupied territory, the city is guilty of an unexampled arrogance and of a complete misunderstanding of the situation created by the state of war. "The 'clear and simple situation' is in reality the following: "The military authorities order the city to obey. Otherwise the city must bear the heavy consequences, as I have pointed out in my previous explanations. "The General Commanding the Army has inflicted on the city--on account of its refusal, up to date, to furnish the lists demanded--a punitive contribution of 200,000 marks, which must be paid within the next six days, beginning with to-day. The General also adds that until such time as all the lists demanded are in his hands, for every day in arrears, beginning with December 31, 1916, a sum of 20,000 marks will be paid by the city. "HOPFER, _Major General_, "_Etappen-Kommandant_." The Commission Syndicale of Belgian workingmen also attempted to induce the German authorities to abandon their terrible plans. "COMMISSION SYNDICALE OF BELGIUM, "_Brussels, 30th Oct., 1916_. [TO THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF BELGIUM.] "EXCELLENCY: The measures which are being planned by your administration to force the unemployed to work for the invading power, the deportation of our unhappy comrades which has begun in the region of the étapes, move most profoundly the entire working class in Belgium. "The undersigned, members and representatives of the great central socialist and independent syndicates of Belgium, would consider that they had not fulfilled their duty did they not express to you the painful sentiments which agitate the laborers and convey to you the echo of their touching complaints. "They have seen the machinery taken from their factories, the most diverse kind of raw materials requisitioned, the accumulation of obstacles to prevent the resumption of regular work, the disappearance one by one of every public liberty of which they were proud. [Sidenote: Workmen recite their wrongs at German hands.] "For more than two years the laboring class more than any other has been forced to undergo the most bitter trials, experiencing misery and often hunger, while its children far away fight and die, and the parents of these children can never convey to them the affection with which their hearts are overflowing.