Ripley County democrat., 1918-02-15
BELGIANS EASILY
OUTW|T GERMANS
Hugh Gibson Says Governor Gen.
eraI Gets Suppressed News
paper Regularly.
SPIRIT REMAINS UNDRoKEN
stupid ProeIamations Of German Com.
manders Cause Much Amusement
Among seloians--says Stories
Of Atrocities Are All True.

New York.-Up to the entrance of
the United States In the war against
Germany. approximately $1,000 Bel
gian civilians had been shot, taken
into Germany as prisoners. or fined for
offending the German authorities In
Belgium In various ways, according to
Hugh Gibson. former secretary of the
American legation at Brussels and at
present chief Of the division of foreign
Intelligence Of the state department,
described with many poignant details
the sufferings Of the Belgians and the
irrepressible and buoyant spirit Of the
people, which. he said, has not been
quenched by the Teuton invaders.
The stupid proclamations of the Ger
man commandants posted daily and
oftener on the buildings and boardlngs
OF the streets Of Belgian cities caused
the population considerable amuse-
ment at first. Mr.. Gibson said. until
II was announced from German head.
quarters that any one seen laughing
around an official bulletin would be Sc
verely punished. Thereafter persons
reading the bulletins would mufle
themselves up In neckcloths that con-
cealed half their faces and laugh to
themselves.
All the Belgian newspapers were
suppressed, and the population re-
ceiyed Its news from publications Is
sued by the Germans, which told of
their military victories. Mr.. Gibson de-
clared.
Papers Published Secretly.
I'm spite Of this fact, the Belgians.
under the very nose of the governor
general, published clandestlne newspa-
pers," he continued. "The governor
general would get his copy regularly.
Sometimes he found II under his plate,
sometimes It came into his home with
the vegetables, sometimes II was
mailed to him In an official envelope
Of the German military headquarters
itself, but, In spite Of the fact that he
offered 100000 marks for information
leading to the arrest of those con-
cerned In publishing the paper, Il
availed him nothing, and when I left
II was reported that every time he
saw a copy Of one of the Belgian se-
cret newspapers he fell into a tan
trum."
English and Dutch newspapers were
smuggled into Belgium. Mr.. Gibson
continued. though copy Of a London
paper sold as high as $50 at time
when the German authorities were do
Ing their utmost to stop the snug
Cling. The papers smuggled In were
rented BY the hour and the owner
would sit on q mans doorstep until
he had finished Il. when he would pass
II on to receive another fee from the
next customer. Mr.. Gibson referred
to Cardinal Mercier as "the splendid
old figure whose work has undone the
labors Of many German army corps"
The stories Of arson. plllage. murder. |
torture, and mutilation committed by |
the German invaders are all too true,
according to Mr. Gibson. The true
story. he said. will not be told until
the Germans have been driven out Of |
Belgium and northern France. when
tho population Of the invaded districts
will show the world the proofs Of the
German atrocities.
German splss Poorly Paid.
The hordes Of spies hired by the
Germans are for the most part poor
and III paid, according to Mr.. Gibson, |
who said that he had the honor Of
having one assigned to follow him con.
Stantly. The man would stand In front
Of Glbson's house In all sorts OF wealth
or and would scan the visitors. Fre-
quently Mr.. Gibson would Inform the
SPY that he might leave. as he was
not expecting any more visitors.
Members Of the secretary's star would
use the spy as messenger. and would
bestow liberal tips on him In return
FOR fetching cigarettes and other ar
ticles.