Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-04
Rr VANCE THOMPSON

| his person, MS painting, MS HuSlC, MS oia-
tory. or perhaps his withered arm. This was
the famous lese majestic. These 1000 years or
Imprisonment were made up of sentences
running from one year to three years.
For example, the poor little woman-a
music teacher in Cassel-who criticised the
Hymn to Aegir" and called 1t rubbish, got
off with 1S months Imprisonment. Now
great number of these cases of lese majestic
were discovered in the letter-opening depart
ment of the German Government, though
many, of course were reported by spies in
the restaurants, beer halls and public places.
You see how It works in times Of peace.
In time of war 1t is applied with great
rigor. Everything is read; every letter goes
to the Dark Chamber. When there is no
time to read the letters they are burned. Thus
at Konstanz, the first week in the war, 1900
bags of mail were burned.
know one letter that was not burned.
And that is the tragedy have to tell.
"A Love Story and the War
I Just came in touch with it the other
day in New York, and 1t is only the New
York side of the picture I can show you;
what happened on the other side of the sea
you can imagine as well as 1 can. 1t begins
in the church of a parish in Staten Island.
Just down the bay as you sailed into the
church rising above the village. The other
afternoon, after benediction, the priest went
down to a man who had not gone away with
the others. He was sitting there quiet as a
stone, his head bent toward his knees. When
the priest touched his shoulder the man lifted
up face that was like death mask He
did not weep; he did not cry aloud; coldly,
in a voice of quiet horror, he told the thing
that had been done.
He was young German from Austria.
I shall not give his name relatives of his
are still alive in the place he came from.
He had served his time a soldier, but was
still subject to call in case OF war. He came
to the United States-as millions upon mil
lions of Germans have come, eager to escape
from the tyranny of militarlsm. He meant
to make home here. He was engaged to
a girl over there. AS soon as he had saved
money enough he was going to send for her.
Meanwhile they wrote love letters to each
other.
Came the war.
The little girl oversee feared for her young
lover. She wrote him a letter begging him
not to return to the awful war-not to come
back and join his colors-lest he should be
killed and she should be left alone in a world
where he was not. And so she prayed him
to stay In safe America until she could
come to him.
That letter was read in the Dark Chamber
The next day file of soldiers took the girl
out and stood her against a wall and shot
heri
What do you want to call It? Efficiency
kultur, thorough administration? Call it
what you please; they killed that little girl
1t took nearly three months for the news to
reach this hapless German over on Staten
Island. In some way, at what risk I know
not, word was got to him; and he groped his
way into church and sat there-his head
bent toward his knees
No Letters From Belgium
And the Dark Chamber has gone with
other things as notable) into tragic Belgium
No letters come out OF Belgium. I say abso-
lutely none-except, Of course the sort Of
pro-German letters that are manufactured for
public consumption. For more than two
months have tried to get in touch with GER
tain friends of mine in Belgian city occu-
pied by the Germans. One of them Is an
American lady of distinguished family who
married a foreigner. She is an invalid and
could not leave her home; 80 she was caught
by the invaders. Her husband, being brave
and good man, remained with her, although
he belonged to nation upon which Germany
is making war What is happening I can
imagine-and you. At first news came; news
that his money had been seized by the Ger
mans and that he was penniless. A man got
across the frontier from Holland In motor
car with money-what little he could get
overnight in a Dutch town. That is the last
news If they are alive they are in the
bread line, though probably the man is in
prison
1t is easy enough to become an American
citlzen Secretary Bryan is faithfully protect
ing all the "Americans' with "irst papers"
and the like; but what is easier still is for.
an American woman-of eight generations Of n
does It. And Mr.. Bryan, doubtless with pre-
enough to buy her bread This business OF
being an American Is queer thing.
/ say that unhappy lady. IL she lives Is in
the bread line-ir there is bread line in that
city.
Food for the Invaders
am quite well aware that the food we are
sending over is not taken by the Germans; il
reaches the starving BeIgians. How insufi-
eient It is You know. But also know that
the entire Belgian food supply has been
seized by the invaders. The last important
supply was seized last week, when the Ger
mans-what shall call it7-appropriated the
provision Of the Vooruit OF Ghent That city
you remember. yielded 10 the invaders. It
paid the millions OF tribute money-immenss
loot Of wines. cigars. foodst1ns, went TO the
eonqueflas Germans All this you know.
Between the aterfius population 81 mill
WORKERS Wease4s aopemaksts ana utter
nI1s sfeod fsadla arraalsalIon. ths
mems f1zaezzd9 Il