The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-09-06
GERMAN STAMP
FAILS TO Dent
BELGIAN ARD0R
CASTOR De Geral Tells Of
Unwarranted Out
rage

Inc story OF three, years OF 0erI1idn
violation of. the covenants of the
Hague Convention, during. the leu.
tonic occupancy of Belgium since the
world war began was told briefly to-
day by Goston de sLevals of the Bar
of BRUSSELS, to members of the Amer
lean Bar association, in convention
here. Il -
Many articles of these Hague Con-
vention, when tested by the facts in
Belgium with the invaders applying
their own interpretations, proved al
rnostsvalueless,' Mr., de Leval said:
: The imposing Of excessive fines, the
punishment by death and imprison-
ment' and Belgian men and women
and children unwarrantab1y accused
Of treason and lesser crimes, and the
deportation of his compatriots into
slavery were discussed by; Mr.. de
Leval from the legal viewpoint.
Notwithstanding ''all the suffer1ngs
and tyranny to which the Belgian
population 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 flood at Liege.
mo matter how much the Ger
mans have advertised their victories
and how powerfully their military
system has impressed the Belgian
population, she said, .'that popula-
ton is, just as hopeful as during the
first days that the cause of civilian
ton will triumph, and that tyranny
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 Wal
loon elements Of Belgium-the ones
descendants Of German tribes and the
others descendants of the Romans.
..Since the very beginning they
(the Germans) cajoled the Flemish
population" he said. 'They tried to
make it believe that Germany was
helping their aspirations to free
themselves Of the troublesome Wal
looms. They told them that, owing to
the German efforts, those Walloon
and French elements were to be set
aside and the Flemish population
emerge richer, freer with its own
language in fhe foreground.
But the people did not listen to
these siren songs. So. the Germans
added compulsion to 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
paper, and is not and will never be
completely obtained. All the chiefs of
Belgian departments have resigned
rather than carry out such instruc-
lions, and the Germans, who had,
when they came into Belgium, prom
ised that all agents of the Belgian
government continuing their duties
would always be free, if they so de-
sired, to leave their posts, are now
sending to German prisons the chiefs
of those departments who have car
ried out what. their consciences told
them was their duty *
Mr.. de Leval paid tribute to
Americas aid to his country, and
especially to Brand Whitlock, former
Minister to Belgium. His name" he
said, will go down in history" at1-
ding: ST know; that in no other coun-
| try of the world. SO much as in
America, in this country of freedom
and Justice, do the sufferings of the
Belgians arouse sympathy. You have
, saved Belgium from starvation, and
t-tlH the end of time there will be in
! each. village Of Belgium memorial
put up to remind future generations
that If the Belgian race has, not died
| sout, honor for its preservation is due
to the citizens of free and generous
| America" -
| "A Mr.. de Leval paid a tribute also to
Ifstood in the country like a living
flag of Belgium like a religious king,
and from all the world he received
1.-THE homage due to his courage and
! genius The speaker said that one
! place which reminded sacred from in
vasion was the church, to which 1.-THE
arm of the German law did NOT dare
extend the iron fish,
| Abiding to the Hague Convention,
! Mr.. de Leva1 quoted Article 48, which
states that the military authority
when occupying an enemy country
will respect the laws of that country
and make. no changes unless there is
an absolute necessity
! What is an absolute necessity ?''
! Mr.. de Leva1 continued. "Unfortu-
nately, the Hague Convention gives no
| definition and the speeches of It's
members throw little light on the
subject.
1.-The Germans have given to 'abso-
| lutte necessity wonderruI EXTENSION
If a law is required by which ma
chine can be taken out of Belgium to
be used by German manufactures
4 for no matter what kind of work use
1 full to the German Empire, it is soon
found an absolute necessity to empty
a Belgian to -.eplenishS a. German fac
tory. If German politician thinks
that a certain rule imposed on Bel
GUM will pave some political import,
ance in Germany in a quarter of a
century, that rule will be established
in Belgium by absolute necessity
If Belgian courts seem too fair to the
Germans to be relied upon when a
German interest is involved, lit will be
an absolute necessity' to modify the
| rules of those courts and to bring be-
fore a, special court, made in Ger
many, all questions in which such in
terest is concerned.
1--we must never forget, and the
i Brussels Bar repeated it time and
/ again to the German commanders
1--we must never forget that generally