Life in Belgium

Levin Daily Chronicle, 4 June 1918, Page 1

Life in Belgium

GERMAN TERROISM

THE NATIONAL SPIRIT. (By "An Escaped Civilian," in the London 'Times.') Since I crossed the wire a few weeks ago I have had time to adapt myself to my now surroundings, and to understand how completely isolated from the rest of the world we are in Belgium. It is not so much that we lack news from the war, for we have learned to read between the linos of the German communiques and to draw our own conclusions. But we do not realise in ths leust the conditions prevailing in neutral and allied countries, the various currents of opinion and interests, the infinite complexity of the problems raised by the groat conflict. Three years «of persecution and of moral and physical sufferings have brought us to such a pitch of glowing enthusiasm for our friends and of irreconcilable hatre« of the foe that there is no room left for intellectual subtleties and sentimental reserves. We have become, it is true— and perhaps in the nobler sense of the word—fanatics. Wo no longer discriminate between God and country. The war has become a religious conflict, in which all will be won or lost, and th& fervor with which we worship our martyrs is only equalled by the horror and loathing wo feel for our enemies.

It seems at first incredible that the moral should be more satisfactory among oppressed people who have everything to gain by submitting themselves to their masters than among ires people who have everything to lose by directly encouraging the common enomy. It took me some time to understand that the proximity of the oppressor and the danger of thwarting his efforts, instead of fostering doubts and provoking disloyalty, were the best cure for war weariness. It may seem paradoxical,' but human nature is never so strong as when one would expect it to collapse under the strain. The soldiers will tell you that they feel the same indifference between the rear and the front. Belgium and Northern Prance happen to be the civilian front in the west. DAILY EXECUTIONS. This front has, as you know, its casualties like the other. Patriots are shot, literally, every day. There is an average of 30 death sentences a month. They belong to every class and every party. Among the killed there is one deputy, one burgomaster, mariy people belonging to the professional classes, and, of course, many more workmen and pasants, including women and children. That is ,so far as we know; for Von Falkenhausen, the new Governor, has ceased to publish the names of his victims, seeing that instead of terrorising their compatriots it only stirred their zeal to emulate them . Among the men imprisoned or deported to Germany are many well-known names—at least 10 deputies and senators, no fewer than 15 burgomasters and aldermen, several judges, and some eminent professors. The post of burgomaster of Brussels is particularly dangerous. M. Ai'ax is still in a German cell, and hi« successor (M. Lemonnier) and the Alderman Jacqumain have followed him to prison. Such is the fat e of all those who, openly or secretly, oppose German rule— no matter whether they are right or wrong. The only law in the country is dictated by the German tribunals. Even those who do not belong to tho various organisations which help the young men to cross the frontier to join the army, circulate forbidden papers, or manage to send news abroad, are. still exposed every day to the most severe sentences. If the Governor choose to transform the University of Ghent or to set up a new administration, the professors or tho officials arc not allowed to send in their resignations and to remain faithful to their pledges. It is not enough not the work for Belgium, and the mere fact of refusing to work against Belgium is punishable as a crime. The consequence is that thousands of men and a great dumber of women are engaged on some secret work, and that all tho spies of Germany have not been able to check, their activity. I have heard people wonder how, after so many arrests ,our organisations are- able to go on with their work. There is a very simple explanation. For every man or woman arested, two others offer to take their place. Tho whole nation has become a huge secret society. TORTURE AND TRICKERY. Failure is not due to the want of skill and activity of German agents. Every measure which brutality and cunning can contrive is taken against our patriots. Under the slightest suspicion they are dragged from their homes and imprisoned. For weeks and months they are isolated, unable to communicate with anybody, even with their advocate, subjected daily to the most searching examination. They are told that their denial is useless, since some of their relatives have been compelled to confess their guilt, or that, if they will confess their crime, they will be allowed to see their wife or their child, who is dying. I have myself spent some weeks in the prison of St. Gilles (Brussels), and have been subjected to this kind of torture. If this fails, threats and blows are used by the examining officers. I know a boy of 16 who was repeatedly struck for refusing to denounce his "accomplices.'' Once on the black list of the secret police, the patriot, whether guilty or not, will do well to leave the country. If they cannot catch you in the act, the German agents have other means to arrest you. They manage to slip a copy of 'La Libre Bclgique' in a drawer or behind a frame while searching your house, and proceed to convict you for circulating this forbidden paper. This manoeuvre caused the arrest of a wellknown Brussel's Barrister. He had previously had a visit from a supposed "colleague" from a neighbouring town, who told him that his wife, whe was at the time in the country, haa been arrested, and advised him to hide all compromising papers. The same "barrister" headed the body of gendarmes who searched the house a few hours later. Another method which lias caused any amount of harm is known an "tlio sheep,'' and is supposed to have been invented by one of Germany's archspies, Over-T.,ieutenunt Henry. A disconsolate individual is Introduced into the prisoner's cell. Amid sobs and tears he tells his companion all he has gone through and poses as the innocent victim of German oppression. .Confidence calls for confidence 3 and unless the prisJ.. w-JJhx-'* ...

oner is on his guard tho kind " sheep'• succeeds in drawing from him some confession of guilt. Th e next day tflw two men are called together before tho Judge, and the "sheep" becomes accusr.

Such vile work is not necessarily done by Germans. We have our traitors and * activists" and profiteers, but they are beyond the pale. They no longer belong to the nation. They have yielded to the Boches, and with them they will leave thf country if they are wise. The Belgians have lost nothing of their splondid confidence. The final victory of the Allies is not even questioned, and I prefer not to Hi ink 0 i what would happen if they should eve» be induced to conclude an unsatisfactory peace. It would be the worst blow which could befall us. It would be the ruin of all our efforts to Hamper tlito enemy's activities, of all the hopes roi which we have' suffered and shall perhaps still suffer so long. The Belgians are waiting anxiously for the return or King Albert, but they are awaiting stln more anxiously for the advent of justice and the punishment of the culprits. That spirit animates every thinking man in the country, from Cardinal Mereie* to the Socialist workmen who drafted the striking manifesto published in July.