New Britain herald., 1918-03-05
BELGIANS AROUSED
 BY HUN INTRIGUE
Resent Attempt to Separate Flan-
 ders From Rest Of Country

Washington, March 5.--The entire
 Belgian people, including Cardinal
 Mercier, the bishops, judges and civic
 authorities, merchants and peasants,
 have joined in patriotic protest against
 the German intrigue to separate
 Flanders from the rest of Belgium, ac-
 COrding to the following official cable
 received by the Belgian Legation:
 The German Governor general in
 Belgium General von F'alkenhausen,
 in a letter which has been made pub
 lie has replied to the order of the
 Court of Cessation of the 11th of
 February by which the court sus-
 pended it's sittings without abdicating
 it's powers as a protest against the
 illegal action of the German authori-
 ties in arresting judges of the Belgian
 court.
 He shamelessly accuses the court
 of failure to do it's duty and of lack of patriotism. He attempts to justify the arrest and deportation of the judges of the Court of Appeal and the suspension of members of the court by saying that the court proceedings in- stituted against the activiStS (the Ger man tools who are trying to separate Flanders from the rest Of Be1gium) constitute an act of hostility against the occupying power. Fa1kenhausen thus admits naively and officially that the Activists are simply the agents Of German policy.
 Much satisfaction has been shown in Belgium on account of the fact that the action of the Belgian judges ir performing their legal duty, has forced the German authorities to un- mask their designs.
 confirmed that CerrnanS have deported Judge Levy, the pre- siding judge, and Judges Ernest and Carez, presidents of the court of appeals. They also arrested Judge lamar in order to deport him, but he was released on account of illness.
 ''The movem ent of protest by the Belgian people against the intrigues of the activists has taken on large proportions. The voluntary suspen- l sion of all judiciary activity as 8, pro- test against the outrage committed l against the court of appeals of Brus- ! sels has caused a, tremendous inn l precision even upon the German au- ] thorities. New lists of communal l councils and of important personali- 1 ties who have made protest continue to reach Havre, being brought night 1v by devoted patriots, who have passed through the GleClItlISu AIo1- ter wires in spite of redoubled vigi- 1 lance on the part of the Germans.
 'The protest movement is especial ly active in Flanders. It has been 1 learned that all the Belgian bishops, being prevented from meeting to- gether have protested separately. Cardinal Mercier has protested in a letter to be read at the beginning of his lenten letter to his clergy. collective letter to the German chan cellor has been signed by the princi- pal representatives of commerce at Antwerp, and a similar protest has been sent by the provincial council al Antwerp.
 '"The Free university of Brussels has sent to the Communal council of Brussels an energetic letter joining in the protest made by that body. The protest of the Free university is signed by every member of the fac 1 ulty.
 The deputies and senators of East Flanders have sent a separate protest ] to Chancellor Hertling.
 'All of these docum ments are spon- taneously copied in handwriting or printed by the clandestine press and circulated from hand to hand in ! the greatest enthusiasm, which has for the moment caused 1 he people to forget the miseries and suffering caused by the occupation.
 The German authorities, over Nhelmed by the patriotic outburst, nave officially forbidden all dellbera- ion or discussion in regard to ques- , ions of general politics, such as the 1 utoncmy of Flanders and have also sorbldden discussion in regard to pe- itions of protest to the German au- ,horities. Every one who dlsregards his new German order is menaced 1 With severe punishment in accord l 'nce with martial law. This action i 't the German authorities is a con- 'lnclng admission that the German l fears to let the voice ] ( '1 the country be heard in its unam- nous protest against the activists'