Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-24

mad refused 10 wOTk lot inc NfCl-
man authorities. The arsenal was
not an arsenal in the military
sense, but the machine shops where
the locomotives operating the rail-
ways. which in Belgium belong TO
the state. were repaired. The Ger
mans had of course seized the rail
ways and were operating them, and
when the locomotives needed repairs
they called on the workmen to eff
feet chem This the workmen unan-
,mously refused to do, on the ground
that the railways were used by the
German military authorities to
transport their troops and that as
patriotic Belgians they could not
aid the Germans in this. They
could invoke The Hague govern
ton in support of their position.
But the government of occupation
insisted that the work was not at
all in the interest Of the German
army, but in the interest Of the
commercial traffic and of the Bel
sian population, and to make this
distinction clear the governor gen
eral issued a statement which in
sisted that "if the population Of
Malines is cut off from the world
it owes it to the strike of
the workers. BY such a machina-
ton. the origin of which may be
easily discovered. the intentions of
his excellency the governor general
TO revive the economic life Of Bel
giur are called into question in
the most criminal manner. TO the
detriment Of the entire Belgian pop
ulation.'
This solicitude. however, With the
yelled allusion TO the cardinal by
which il was accompanied, was all
lost on the stiff-necked Belgian
workmen, and on June 6 the gov
ernof general proclaimed an edict
stating that lin view of the fact,
which any unprejudiced person
could recognize from the edict OF
May Is, that the German admins
tration had not the slightest in
tention OF forcing the laborers to
work for the German army, and that
the work in question was solely in
the interest OF the Belgian popu-
lation," he was obliged TO punish
the city of Maiines and its en-
virons by arresting all economic
ira sfic so long as a sufficient num-
Der of workmen in the arsenal shall
not have resumed their labors."
And so all traffic and all travel
from the four railway stations in
Malines was prohibited. No civilian
was allowed even to approach the
stations; all circulation of vehicles,
bicycles, automobiles, interurban
trans and canal boats was forbid
den. Even the rails OF the inter-
urban tramHays were taken up, and
ha ..fFfn1 Co. 80 IL.
IF the economic life of Malines
ana It's enyirons," the statement
concluded, which / have endeavor-
ed especially to favor, must suffer
graveIy from the above mention
ed measures, the fault and the re-
spcnsfbility will be due to the lack
OF foresight on the part of the
workers in the arsenal in allowing
themselves to be influenced by their
ringleaders."
And so the gates were closed
and the city, with its sixty thous-
and Inhabitants, shut off from the
rest Of Belgium. The Comite Ma
tional even was forbidden TO send
in any clothing. The one exception
made was that in favor of the
g. p B., which was still permitted
There were protests on the part
of the cardinal and the burgomas-
ter, but the Germans were deaf
and persistent in their determine
ton to punish the whole commun-
ity. The workmen stood firm, and
the citizens of Mallnes made il a
point of honor to stand with them.
There we're no disorders; simply a
firm. silent. digni6ed, patriotic re-
sistance.a The situation lasted two
weeks. Then the Germans them
selves began to suffer. They could
not carry on their affairs: ehey
brought in German workmen, an
nounced that the work was resum-
cd, and threw open the gates OF
the city.
And thus ended\ one OF the most
singular strikes ever undertaken.
Not d single Belgian had worked
for the Germans and German Of
fetal at the ''Politische Abteilung
paid reluctant tribute to their
character when he said bitterly:
The Belgians are indomitable;
the cardinal has shown us that
At any moment, indeed, the re-
Elective mind could find in Brus-
sells scenes and subjects to moral
lie on. Strolling out of a morn
ing there were always 90 be OBJ
served, for instance, the strings of
horses going down the Rue Bel
lard, led by a cavalry under Of
ficer who rode arrogantly along.
They went by every day in an end
less procession every one or the
patient beasts the symbol of little
tragedy in some life oc toll, some
humble peasant home from which
il had been taken. Every day at
noon there was guard mount be-
fore the house Of parliament. A
battalion marched from the Palais
de Justice, which had been turned
into a barracks, down the Rue
Royal to the Place de la Nation.
They were led by a band that bray
ed Die Wacht am Rhein" and
other German patriotic tunes. The
Belgians in the streets affected
generally not TO see them; even the
familiar spectacle of small bows
trotting. along beside the bandmen
was lacking. Frequently, too,
there was a morning parade of
troops in the Avenue Louise and
along the Boulevard; the troops
had music at their head when they
did a mitrailleuse. Standing on the
sidewalk one morning was a young
man who, looking at the soldiers.
laughed. Instantly two soldiers
sprang out Of the column and seiz-
ed him. The poor lad wildly pro-
tested in terror:
''Je mai rien fait. Je mai rien
fait.' Il have done nothing: /
have done nothinE.') he cried
One-of the soldiers significantly
touched his gun and they dragged
him Off behind the soldiers.
There were always such morally
sickeuinS scenes to be witnessed,
and ALWAYS the latest "a ffiche" Civ