The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1918-03-07
BELG|ANS EASILY
OUTWIT GERMANS
Hugh Gibson Says Governor Gen.
eraI Gets Suppressed News
paper Regularly.
SPIRIT REMAINS UNBROKEN
Stupid ProcIamations Of German Com
manders Cause Much Amusement
Among BeIgians-Says Stories
of Atrocities Are All True.

Among 8eIgians-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
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 suffcrings 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 commandments posted daily and
Oftener on the buildings and boardings
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 muffle
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.
'In spite of this fact, the Belgians,
under the very nose of the governor
pers," he continued. "The governor
general would get his copy regularly.
Sometimes he found 1t under his plate,
sometimes It came into his home with
the vegetables, sometimes it 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, 1t
avaiIed him nothing, and when left
It was reported that every time he
saw a copy Of one of the Belgian Sc
cret newspapers he fell into a tan
trum."
English and Dutch newspapers were
smuggled into Belgium, Mr.. Gibson
continued, though a copy of a London
paper sold as high as $50 at a time
when the German authorities were do
ing their utmost to stop the snug
Cling. The papers struggled In were
rented by the hour and the owner
would sit on a mans doorstep until
he had finished II, when he would pass
II on to receive another fee from the
next customer. Mr.. Gibson referred
to Cardinal MERCER as "the splendid
old figure whose work has undone the
labors Of many German army CORPS"
The stories Of arson, pillage, 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
the population of the invaded districts
will show the world the proofs Of the
German atrocities.
German Spies Poorly Paid.
The hordes Of spies hired by the
Germans are for the most part poor
and Ill 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 Gibson's house In all sorts Of wealth
er and would scan the visitors. FIRE.
quently Mr.. Gibson would inform the
spy that he might leave, as he was
not expecting any more visitors.
Members of the secretary's staff would
use the spy as a messenger, and would
bestow liberal tips on him In return
for fetching cigarettes and other ar
ticles.