The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-06
BELGIAN LAWYER TELLS
OF GERMAN VIOLATIONS
Latter Have Proved Articles of Hague
Convention Almost Valueless, He
Tells American Bar As
ISOLATION.

sOCidtlOH
Saratoga Springs, N. Y, Sept. 6.-Th'
story of three years of German violation
of the covenants of The Hague conven
ton, during the Teutonic occupancy OF
Belgium since the world war began, wa:
told briefly to-day by CASTOR de Leval
of the bar of Brussels, TO members of the
American Bar association, in convention
here.
Many articles of The Hague conven-
tion, when tested by the facts in Belgium
with the invaders applying their own in
terpretations proved almost valueless, y
Mr.. de Levsl said,
The imposing of excessive fines, the
punishment by death and imprisonment
of Belgian men and women and children
unwarrantably accused of treason and
lesser crimes, and the deportation Of his
compatriots into slavery were discussed
by Mr. de Leval from the legal view
point.
Notwithstanding "all the sufferings
and tyranny to which the Belgian popu.
lation has been subjected the speaker
asserted, the people are as patriotic now
as when in the early period of the war
they stemmed the German food at
Liege.
No matter how much the Germans
have advertised their victories and how
powerfully their military system has i'm
pressed the Belgian population" he said
that population is just as hopeful as
during the first days that the cause of
civilization will triumph, and that tyran-
ny will be crushed, because they know
that right is might, that right is the
only might, and that the Lord has said:
Blessed are they which hunger and |
thirst after Righteousness, for they shall
be filed"
Mr.. de Leval told how the Germans
tried to make capital of the quarrels
which, before the war, had taken place
between the Flemish and Walloon eIe-
ments of Belgium-the ones descendants
Of German tribes and the others descend
ants of the Romans.
Since the very beginning they 1.-THE
Germans cajoled the Flemish popula
.ion," he said "They tried to make IL
believe that Germany was helping their
aspirations to free themselves of the
Walloons They told them
hat, owing to the German efforts, these
Valloon and French elements were to be |
ct aside and the Flemish population
merge richer, freer with its own lam
uage in the foreground.
But the people did not listen to these ,
iren songs So, the Germans added com t
ulsion to persuasion, and by their new Ii
NV made one country of the Walloons \
nd one country of the Flemish, hoping. a
course, that after the war the Flem-
h population at any rate would be a $
topping stone for Germany to further t.
inquest.
But this separation is only on paper, h
nd is not and will never be completely
blamed. All the chiefs of Belgian de. A
have resigned rather than =,
try out such instructions, and the Ger
ans, who had, when they came into j
elgium, promised that all agents of the Of
elgian government continuing their du- "
es would always be free, if they so de. al
red, to leave their posts, are now send a,
g to German prisons the chiefs of those
partments who have carried out what o,
cir consciences told them was their
ty." IN
Mr.. de Leval paid tribute to America s
j to his country, and especially to A,
and Whitlock, former minister to Bel. do
lm. His name" he said, will go
wn in history" adding: II know that nj
no other country of the world, so
Ich as in America, in this country of T.,
'edom and justice, do the sufferings of
= Belgians arouse sympathy. You
We saved Belgium from starvation and
the end of all time there will be in In
h village of Belgium a memorial put
to remind future generations that If
, Belgian race has not died out. honor
its preservation is due to the citizens su,
free and generous America pls
'ir. de Levsl paid a tribute also to for
rdinal MERCER, who, he said, stood in ers
country like living flag of Belgium, Dol
2 religious king. and from all the 10
rid he received the homage due to his
rage and genius" The speaker said
{ one place which remained sacred
m invasion was the church, to which Sui
e arm of the German law did not dare
end the iron fist I
.Huding to The Hague convention. Mr.. We.
Levsl quoted article -. which states last
, the military authority when occupy YES
an enemy country will respect the rim,
: Of that country and make no
nges unless there is an absolute ne.
ssy- =
What Is an absolute necessity Mr.. ton
LsvaI continued. Unfortunately. hs,
Hague convention gives no definition sinc
the speeches q its members throw ing