The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-02-08
Hugh Gibson Says Governor Gen.
eraI Gets Suppressed News"
paper Regularly.
spirit REMAINS UNBROkEN
Stupid Proclamations of German Conn.,
manders Cause Much Amusement
d Among Belgians-Says Stories
of Atrocities Are All True.


the United States in the war against
Germany, approximately So,oO0 Bel
gian civilians had been shot, taken
into Germany as prisoners, or fined tor
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 buovant 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 boardings
of the streets of Belgian cities caused
the population considerable amuse-
ment at first, Mr. Gibson said, until
it 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 muff1e
themselves up in neckcloths that con-
#cealed half their faces and laugh tC
themselves.
All the Belgian newspapers were
suppressed, and the population re-
ceived it's 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
general, published clandestine newspa-
pers," he continued. "The governor
general would get his copy regularly.
Sometimes he found it 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-
cerne6 in publishing the paper, 1t
availed him nothing, and when left
It was reported that every time he
saw 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 smHg-
Cling. The papers smugsled in were
rented by the hour and the owner
&xod}d sit on a mans doorstep until
III te had finished it. when he would pass
it on to receive another fee from the
next customer. Mr.. Gibson referred
to Cardinal Mercier as 1.-The splendid
old figure whose work has llndOne the
iabors 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 St}lu, VIII llOl NC tS4N 'ih'i
the Germans have been driven out OF
Belgiunk 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 Gibsonps house in all sorts of wealth
er and would scan the visitors. Ere
ouently Mf. Gibson would inform the
spy that he might leave, as he was
not expecting any more visitors.
kMembers of the secretary's staff would
SShse the spy as a messenger, and would
&&,estow liberal tips on him in return
6or fetching cigarettes and other ar