The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-07
BELGIUM UNDER THE GERMAN HEEL

But two Of the new announcement
bore on what was ana always viii can'
unue TO be known as the CaveiI case
n OF them, on the walls or in ~
newspapers before the sentence WOO
pronounced against Miss Cavell. was !
long screed OF Won B~lssing's THAI made
an impression almost as painful as ~
crime it sought to Justify, and enrasnd
ana Inundated the people. II was sig-
nihcant In this, however, that n shoSvsd
mat the crime was p~remedltated ana
arranged, and had been put out to nTa-
pare the public mind for the shock ~
tho proclamation of that morning which
was TO announce the murder OF Miss
Cavell. This first proclamation WAS
posted Monday and the Judgment
against Miss Cavell was pronounce
Monday afternoon, and taken together
they snow the hypocrisy and the hru-
AMY OF the military regime OF the
mooere4u. me Monday proclamation
was tull OF owlish advice In tho tone
Of oily piety the Germans adopt wban
they are caught in some bastard act
me goYernor-general told the people 10
deepend on him, to believe him, to trust
Nun and then alluding to Espionage
lolu them that the severest penalties
his laws. " '""teu
And curiously enough he proved an.
other thing, that the offensive al the
allies had angered the Germans. and
ss was invariably the case when they
tIuiid NAT things were not going well,
they, avenged themselves upon some
helpless civiIian-Often on women.
Won Bissing's Proclamation.
'"fhe result of the offensive of the
allies Is known, that offensive so long
expected on the western front" said
lle pToGlamatlon Of the goVernor-gen-
eral, The German lines resisted d Vic
tent c~onnonading lasting 20 hours, and
enemy. The French have lost several
hunufed thousand in killed and
wounded, while the English, both white
ana black, have suffered ever greater
losses. In spite Of the enormous num-
her of lives and the immense amount
of ammunition reckiessly sacrificed, the
enemies of the German empire have in
no way succeeded In their aim, which
Of France.
while this decisive battle was raging
on the front, | have had to protect the
rear OF the German army against hos
Llle h~laneuVers. During this time / have
Deen Obliged to combat tendencies DUE
as, was the desperate offensive OF the
a~llies-to a belief in a prompt re-estab-
h shlhfh Of the old order Of things, and
70, oiu n vain hopes, Certain circles
which. more than any other. should
have wished to aid in maintaining in
terror peace have melted the minds to
resistance; certain persons who had
themselves ready to cooperate
with me In re-establishing prosperity In
the country, have once more lent a
Complaisant. ear to insinuation emanat-
ing from HaVre and from London: false
prophets spreading false news have won
over the unfortunate Credulous and
have caused them to commit unlawful
DEEDS. XIV f4lgn utriOtign, ma a,,z |
more, by cupidity the Belgians have al
lowed themselves to become involved fl
u spy system which has been defeated
even as has the enemy offensive.
IN spite Of all we have succeeded
In holding at bay the SLY and cowardly
which treacherously menaced
the security Of the German army, The
most rigorous measures have had to be !
to those who through vain
hopes have rendered themselves culpa-
speak eloquently, will themselves re-
tute al the loud talk OF victory on the
part of our enemies, and of the news
announcing that the German armies
e~Vacuating the country. That which
we hold, we hold well.
This last deception should serve as
a lesson to the Belgians in the future
iaith so credulously In news which the
day inevitably reveals itself
TO be false. All those who, under anv
are working. who are
earning sufficient wages, and who have
acquired the inward satisfaction of
duty accomplished, must help those who
are still deluded to enjoy these same
benefits. The experience Of the last few
weeks proves that the security OF the
armies Is assured against the
everyday life, which alone can heal
the wounds OF suffering Belgium, can
only be guaranteed to those who. leaV-
Ing to the soldiers the business of fight
ing, and, ~seconding my efforts, are aid
ing in their way the interior peace and
the economic prosperity of the country.
The orders which | have promul-
gated pursue the same end! whoever
dIsregards them will suffer In all their
the penalties which they enact.
Those who resist my Efforts must ex-
pect to undergo all the rigors OF mar
ttal law; those who aid me in my task
Will help In the most efficaclous man
her their country, their c%ompatriots and
themselves.
This proclamation was prepared
probably during the trial Of the Princess
aG Grey, the C9qntess de- Belleville,
least Immediately afterward, and was
on the walls Of Brussels before Miss
was shot.
But 1t was the other proclamation
attracted no notice, or very little
notice, that had the greater %signifi-
for 1t stamps with the lndelible
and incffaceable seal Of its amazing ad-
the whole proceeding that did
Miss Cavell TO death as illegal, even ac-
cording to the German code. 1t was a
last and browning infamy that threw
q flood Of light on what might have
long remained the mystery of that
great trial behind the closed doors of
the senate chamber, an ex post facto