Evening star., 1916-09-30
BELGIUM HAS SEVERAL
"SECRET" NEWSPAPERS
German Authorities Unable to Get
Definite Information About
Editors or Offices.
of the Associated Press.

| Correspondence of the Associated Press.
HAVRE, France, September 20.-The
! Belgian government authorities here
have received information Of the con-
| tinued appearance of patriotic news
papers at Brussels and throughout
Belgium, in defiance of the German
censorship, and despite all the efforts
of the German military police. 1t is
| one of the mysteries of the German
occupation of Belgium how these
secret papers can be published where
they engrave their cartoons ridiculing
the Germans, and how they set the
type and circulate the papers.
There is a prico of $4,000 marks on
the head of the editor of the Free Bel
gium. but it keeps on appearing just
the same. Several Of the supposed edf-
tors are said to have been shot. One
man was sentenced to twelve years
hard labor. others to. three and eleven
years, and a woman. Nine. Scheupe9s,
to five years. But each time that a
supposed editor is imprisoned and the
German authorities feel the trouble is
ended, the paper appears the following
day more Iusty than ever, wfth~a car
toon making fun of the prosecution.
A file is kept here of these secret
papers as matter of curiosity. Free
Belgium. which has given the most
trouble, prints the following notices
under its title:
Notices in Free Belgium.
"A bulletin of patriotism, submitting
to no censorship whatever.
price per copy elastic, from zero to
infinity.
Business office: Not being handy to
have an established address. we rare
installed in movable automobile
cellar.
Advertisements: Business being nil
under German domination. we have
suppressed our advertising page and
counsel our patrons to keep their
money till times get better.
"Telegraphic address: Care of Ger
can commander at Brussels
A recent issue of Free Belgium gave
cartoon by Raemaker, adapted from
Gustave Dore's Scenes in He'll, show
ing women and children in. agony as
they are trampled down by a soldier
in German helmet, the face of the SOL
dier being evidently meant for that
of the kaiser. Another cartoon, en-
titled Loves Chagrin," shows Gen. Won
Kissing, the military commander of
Brussels, trying to find the editor of
Free Belgium in cellars and attics,
while the editorial rooms, business
office, etc. are depicted on wheels. A
big sun. labeled Free Belgium, smiles
down derisively at Won Bissing's vain
efforts to capture the editors.
"Non-Censored Journal"
La Patrie is another of these secret
newspapers. 1t announces under it's
;t
appearing how, where and when it
pleases." Another line states that it
is in the second year of its publication.
The bitterness of the paper is shown
in standing line carried at. the head
of its editorials, referring to the Ger
mans as 'barbarians and liars always"
A recent number showed the Germans
zen route to Calais" by way of the
User river, with the bodies of German
soldiers slaughtered by the Belgians.
floating in the river -..; "a :, =
L'Echo. another of the secret Jour-
nails. announces that 1t prints what
censored journals dare not and can
not say" A recent number gave the
speech of Premier Asquith in the house
of commons, declaring there would be
no peace until Belgium was free. The
editorial was headed: "Teuton Pirates
and vandals.'' ..
Other secret newspapers are La
sSflte ana, lhe FleInlSnt ~lSiOn. Inefe
is also Weekly Review of the French
Press, giving articles which have been
prohibited from being published in
Belgium. Illustrated books also con-
tinue to appear. with handsome en-
cravings and colored maps. giving the
Belgian story as against the German.
Even a secret press bureau has been
set up at Brussels, which issues type
written sheets comparing favorably
with those from the official press bu-
reau at Paris and London. The edit
ing Is well done, showing that there
must be capable men to gather the
material and put it in shape. The
sheets, mechanically. are even better
than those issued at Paris and London,
showing there must be a large and
class duplicating process some-
where beyond the power of the Ger
mans to discover.