The Times of Wednesday published information " of an abso-
lutely trustworthy character" about an infamous system of servile labour which the Germans have established in the two provinces of Belgian Flanders. These provinces are in the war zone, whereas the rest of Belgium is under the civil administration of Baron von Biasing. On October 8th a decree was issued giving the military authorities power to compel, by force if necessary, unemployed men to work for the Germans away from their homes. What followed is described in the following sentences :— " Failure to comply with the notice [to serve] rendered absentees liable to heavy fines and imprisonment. Simultaneously, the municipal administrations, which alone possessed lists of the men who had been thrown out of work, wore susnmened to hand over the lists to the military authorities. They refused, as they were entitled to do, and wore at once dispossessed and replaced by German military representatives. In some eases the municipal officials who had charge of the list were brutally arrested and thrown into prison."
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