Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-01-22
PRAISES lola.
Ijornst8rne Bjornson Writes a Laud-
a'ory Letter to Dreyfu5's Defender.
Says All Europe Upholds Him.

Says All Europe Upholds Him.
New York, January M.-A special
to the World from Paris says:
Since the French government re-
fused to permit lola to so to Devils
Island TO describe Dreyfus's situation
precisely as it is, Bjornstjorne Bjorn-
son, the famous Norwegian novelist,
poet and dramatist, has written from
Rome to lola, as follows:
Very Honored Master:-How l
envy you. How l wish / were in your
place, in order to be able to render TO
the country and to humanity a service
like that rendered by you.
81 also have proved by experience
that it is much more perilous to want
to eradicate hatred than love from
the minds OF men. A host of things
which have for long time been taking
root in the noblest as well as the basest
instincts of the French people have
brought on a situation so tragic that
a thousand years of progress and civ
ilization are swept away. All others
tremble before the cries and fury of
barbarians, but they have not made
you recoil. You alone, with Tyre and
sword, marched against millions. Is
there a nobler spectacle to be seen in
the world? That was just what France
hot oil
people Of Europe are gazing at France
at this moment in establishment and
pain. Two facts sufficiently explain it.
The first is the indictment against
preyfus. 1t is unworthy of men
charged with immense responsibility
That indictment charges Dreyfus with
showing reasonable favor to Germany
In the evidence, to show guilt, it was
alleged that he could go to Alsace
more easily than other French officers.
That was officially denied by the Al
sace-L Lorraine government. Twice in
the same year Dreyfus was prohibited
from entering Alsace; the third time
he started he was permitted to spend
a week there because his father was
i'll. Has any one ever seen a man act
ing as a spy for any country refused
access to that country?
THE imperial government of Ger
many, moreover, has declared officially
that Dreyfus never had relations with
its agents. This allegation Of the in
dictment. therefore. is absolutely
false. The second fact is official com
munications MADE to the press affirm
that the indictment contains only
part of the proofs of Dreyfus's guilt,
while the rest are kept secret, having
been communicated only to the judges
during the TRIAL.
"In other words, Dreyfus was not
condemned legally. He was deprived
of rank, disgraced and transported be-
You'd the seas without a legal trial,
upon the unsupported opinion Of a
few comrades.
"A government which, in the face
of these confessed facts, refuses to re-
view the Dreyfus court martial, as
suredly is more devoid Of conscience
than any hitherto known among civ
ilized peoples.
"That is the Judgment Of all Europe,
be assured Furthermore, Europe adj
mires what you have done. I always
have held the opinion that the work
of a romance writer or a poet bears
the same relation to himself person
ally as notes to the bank which issues
them and which should have on hand
securities corresponding to the issue.
eve see now that if your works have
circulated throughout the world to in
crease and encourage and enrich the
heart of humanity, it is because you
yourself are man Of courage and
heart. Yours,
"BJORNSTERNE BJORNSON."