The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-05
LATET DEVELOPMENTS
OF PRO-FLEMISH SCHEMES
OF THE GERMANS
(By Associated Pressl

Flemish schemes OF the Germans in
Belgium is long letter from Baron
Won Kissing, the German governor
| general, refusing to renounce mis-
plan OF converting the University OF
Client into a Flemish University, al
though requested to do so by group
OF well-known leaders of the Flem-
ish movement themselves.
A number of leading Flemings of
Antwerp, realizing how their cause
might be set back after the war by
| the present Intervention of the Ger
mans in its favor, recently petitioned
the governor-sener to leave the So
luton OF this question to the Bel
gians themselves, putting forward
various reasons of political and
moral nature why he should give up
the scheme regarding Client Univer-
sity. Among the signatures of this
petition were Louis Franck, president
of the Intercommunal Commission of
Antwerp, member of the Belgian
Chamber, and one of the drafters and
proposers of the bill to give the
Client University a Flemish basis;
Jan Devos, mayor of Antwerp; AL
fons Ryckmans and Leo van Peborgh,
pro-Flemish members of the senate,
and others.
The petition was viewed with
disappointment and displeasure by
the governor-general whose reply
declared that preparations for sys-
tematically carrying out the reform
of Client University have already
begun, and that "the objections
raised are not of such a nature as to
give ground for my going back on
my decision. IT,"
Il attach he continues, too
much value to the material and NOR
al task of higher education and the
universities to share in your opinion
that the benefits of such education
might be withheld for long period
yet from the rising generation of the
occupied country without inflicting
great harm upon it :"
There is no single reason for you
to speak of my resolve as a super
fluous gift that the F]emings might
not accept at German hands. Like
wise, your opinion that the question
purely internal Belgia policy, in
which the occupying power is not
competent to intervene, is neither
actually nor legally justifable. You
know very well that in peace time,
in contrast to the French, Germany
has Away avoided mixing itself up
in Il. Sc ma tiers. So much the less
can low that the governing and
admin 'r1tiye rights which Ger
many, as occupying power. now has
in BC.ainm, with regard also to high
I
or education. be restricted in any
way
| Neither can the normal OBJ
jections raised by you stand close
inquiry Whoever opposes the re-
form ordered by me in aiming a blow
at vital interest of the Netherlands
race in Belgium, without thereby in
the least benefitting the Belgian
state. AS is well known to you, this
is recognized in a wide circle among
the Flemings, who have no thought
of approving the stand taken by you.
Whether the difficulty or practical
impossbility of carrying out the
scheme which you indicate is fact,
time will show. Your assertion that
the conceptions regarding Belgium S
international relations entertained
by all Walloons and Flemish are the
same is clearly incorrect. 1t cannot
have escaped your notice that it is
precisely in this respect that consid-
cradle difference of view has come to
light and still exists.
Il cannot permit that the hostility
of one or two persons to making
Client University Flemish, exhibited
in your petition, shall be extended
into a political propaganda. Espec-
tally should | have to, take the Sc
verest action AGAINST any attempt to
restrain professors and students from
aiding or participating in this work. :"
Dutch and Belgian authorities on
international law dispute the consti-
tutional right of the Germans to in
tervcne in the internal affairs of a
temporarily occupied country. as OPP
nosed to the spirit and letter of The
| Hague convention of 1907 relating
to the laws and usa2eS of land war
fare.
As matter of fact, however, most
Helgians are quite indisposed to make
themselves seriously anxious about
he execution of Baron Won Bliss
ng's plan 1t is in one sense an
'asy matter to open a Flemish Uni
-ersity, but university must have
professors and students, and that is
Just where the rub comes Never
heless, continued efforts are being
made both in Belgium and Holland
o get together the necessary forces
or ORGANIZING the Flemish uni
-orSitv