The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-07
BELGIUM FOR ALL TIME
WILL APPRECIATE AMERICA
VIII Erect Memorial In Every Village
to Western Republic.

10 western kcpuDiic.
Saratoga Springs y. c., Sept. T.
The story Of three years Of German
violation of the covenants Of the Hague
convention during the Teutonic occu-
pancy Of Belgium since the world war
began, was told briefly yesterday by
Castor de Leval, Of the bar Of Brus.
sells, to members OF the American Bar
association, in convention here.
Many articles Of the Hague conven-
ton when tested by the facts in Bel
gium with the invaders applying their
own interpretations, proved almost val.
ueless," Mr.. de Leval said
The imposing of excessive fines. the
punishment by death and Imprisonment
Of Belgian men and women and chill.
dren unwarrantably accused of treas.
on and lesser crimes. ana the deporta.
ton of his compatriots into slavery
We're discussed by Mr. de Leval from
the legal viewpoint
Notwithstanding "al the suffe.ings
and tyranny to which the Belgian pop
ulation has been subjected" the speak
er asserted, the people are as patri.
otic now as when in the early period
Of the war they stemmed the German
flood at Liege.
mo matter how much the Germans
have advertised their victories. and how
powerfully their military system has
impressed the Belgian population" he
said, that population is just as hope
ful as during the first days that tho
cause Of civilization viii triumph, and
that tyranny will be crushed, because
they know that right is might, that
right is the only might"
Mr. de Leval told how the Germans
tried 10 make capital Of the quarrels
which, before the war, had taken place
between the Flemish and Walloon ele.
ments Of Relgium-the ones descend.
ants Of German tribes and the others
descendants Of the Romans
Since the very beginning they Ohe
Germans caioled the Flemish popula.
tion.' he said. They tried to make it
believe that Germany was helping their
aspirations to free themselves of the
troublesome Walloons. They told them
that owing to the German efforts. these
Walloon and French elements were to
be set aside and the Flemish popula.
tion emerge richer, freer with its own
language in the foreground.
But the people did not listen to
these siren SONGS So, the Germans
added compulsion 10 persuasion. and
by their new law made one country
Of the Walloons and one country Of
the Flemish, hoping of course. that
after the war the Flemish population
at any rate would be a stepping stone
for Germany to further conquest.
But this separation is only on pa.
per- and is not and Will never be com.
pieteIy obtained All the chiefs of Bel.
gian departments have resigned ratb.
er than carry out such instructions.
ANA the Germans who hal. when they
came into Belgium. promised that all
agents Of the Belgian government con.
| tnuing their duties would always be
free. If they so desired. to leave their
! posts, are now sending TO German
prisons the chiefs of those departments
who have Carried out what their con.
science told them was their dutv.r
Mr. de Leval paid tribute 10 Ameri
cas- aid to his country. and especially
TO Brand Whitlock former minister Ia
Belgium. His name" he said. will
go down in histc.y," adding. Il know
that in no other country OF the world
so mucA as in America. in this coun
try ~ freedom and justice. DO the SUI
tetnss OF the Belgians arouse sympa
thy. fo- have saved Belgian from
starvation, and TIL the end Of all tim,
there will be In each village OF Bel
glum "a memorial put up 20 remind IN
ture generations that II the Belgian
race has not died out. honor for IL.
preservation is due Ia the citizens a,
free and generous America.
M. de Leval paid a tribute also tc
Cardinal Mercie-. who. he said. "stoo,
IN the country like a living flag OF Bel
gium, like a religious king, and from
all the world he received the homag,
due 20 his courage and genius" III,
speaker said Jhat one place which .e
maincd sacred from invasion was IN,
church, TO which the arm Of the Ger
man law did not dare extend the iroi
fist"