The Washington herald., 1918-03-05
CRIES J
|, QUITO RETAIN
ITS IDENTITY
People Voice Protest
Against German Intrigue
for Its Separation.

That the whole Belgian people, IN
cIuding Cardinal Mercier. the bishops.
judges and civic authorities. as well
as merchants and peasants, have join
ed in patriotic protest against the
German intrigue to separate Flanders
from the rest of Belgium, is indicated
in the following cable received yes
terday by the Belgian Legation:
''The German Governor General in
Belgium. Gen. Won FaIkenhausen, in
letter which has been made public.
has replied to the order OF the Court
of Cessation of February II, by which
the court suspended its sittings with
out abdicating Its powers, as a pro-
test against the illegal action Of the
German authorizes in arresting judges
Of the Belgian courts.
Attempts Justification.
He shamelessly accuses the court OF
failure to do its duty and Of Jack 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
instituted against the activists-the
German tools who are trying to sep
arate Flanders from the rest Of Bel
gium-constitute an act of hostility
against the occupying power. Falk-
enhausen thus admits naively and Of
ficially 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,
in performing their legal duty, has
forced the German authorities TO un-
mask their designs
"It Is confirmed that the Germans
have deported Judge Levy, the presid-
ing Judge, and Judges Ernest and
Carer, presidents OF the Court OF APP
peal. They also arrested Judge lamar
in order to deport him, but he was
released on account of illness.
THE movement of protest by the
Belgian people against the intrigues
Of the Activists has taken on large
proportions. The voluntary suspension
of all judiciary activity as a protest
against the outrage committed against
the Court OF Appeals of Brussels has
caused tremendous impression even
upon the German authorities. New
lists of communal councils and Of i'm
portant personalities who have made
protests continue to reach Havre, be-
ing brought nightly by devoted pa
, triots who have passed through the
electrified frontier wires in spite of
redoubled vigilance on the part of the
Germans.
THE protest movement is especially
active in Flanders, where even the
most important and ardent supporters
of all ranks and conditions have
joined in protest. 1t has been learned
that all the Belgian bishops, being
prevented from meeting together. have
protested separately. CARDINAL Mer-
cier has protested in a letter to be
read at the beginning of his Lenten
letter to his clergy. Collective letter
to the German chancellor has been
signed by the principal representa-
tives Of commerce at Antwerp. and
a similar protest has been sent by
the provincial council of Antwerp.
The free University of Brussels has
sent to the communal council of Brus-
sells an energetic letter joining in the
protest made by that body The pro-
test Of the free university is signed by
GNCEy hcIIlDcT VI .lnc ldCully.
The deputies and senators Of East
Flanders have sent a separate pro-
test to Chancellor Hertling.
Circulate Docuents Widely.
'All of these documents are spon-
taneously copied in handwriting or
printed by the clandestine press and
circulated from hand to hand in
thousands OF copies. thereby exciting
everywhere the greatest enthusiasm.
which has for the moment caused
the people to forget the miseries
and suffering caused by the occupa-
ton.
The German authorities. over
whelmed by the patriotic outburst,
have officially forbidden all deliber-
alton or discussion in regard to ques-
tions of general politics such as
the autonomy of Flanders. and have
forbidden discussion in regard to
petitions of protest to the German
authorities. Everyone who disre-
CARDS this new German order is mem
aced with severe punishment in ac-
cordance with martial law. This ac-
tion of the German authorities is
a convincing admission that the Ger
man administration fears to let the
voice Of the country be heard in its
unanimous protest against the Ac-
fxyfsf