Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-27
Continued from Last Issue)
The Mysterious Belgian Paper

The Mysterious Belgian Paper
The hatred grew as the terror
grew, and the resistance with both.
1t was a resistance that was kept
up in countless ways. difficult to
describe; there was something oc-
cult and mysterious about it; it was
all about in the very air. There
was the blood of the martyrs, and
the courageous denunciations ana
appeals of patriots like the cardinal
and Maitre Thedor But the only
organ it had was that remarkable
publication, La Libre Belgique." a
little sheet that people found in
their Ietter-boxes from time to time.
They knew not how it got. there;
Won Kissing himself did not know
how it got to him, but there it was
punctually, without missing mum
Der. so it was said, on his table at
each publication.
He tried by all the means at his
command to find out, but he never
succeeded. 1t was a small sheet or
four pages, with three or four col
umns of observations the governor
general could not have liked to read
No one knew who edited or publish
ed it; no one knew by whom or
where il was printed. 1t was, as
its announcement said, "A Bulletin
of Patriotic Propaganda, Irregular
~ Regular" in appearance; the price
of a number was elastic, from zero
to infinity,'' and those who resold
it were requested not to go beyond
the limit" AS to its editorial
rooms. it was stated that as it had
been unable to find a peaceful loca-
ton" it was installed in an auto
mobile cellar" AS to advertise
ments, Business being dead under
the German domination, we have
suppressed the advertising page. and
we advise 'our clients to save their
money for better times" Its tele-
graph address was "Kommandantur.
Brussels
We knew nothing Of its secrets
then, nor cared to know. From time
to time it was dropped into the let
ter box at the legation. Then for
a long time it would come no more;
after a while the clandestine dis
tribution would be renewed. People
used to discuss it's contents and ap-
plaud the temerity of it's editor.
but prudence advised every one to
show no familiarity with his meth
DDS. I used to think of its UNI
known editor and recall LowelPs
words:
HE had a dauntless spirit-aDd
a press"
The German police tried every
device known 10 them. They made
raids and perquisitions; they offered
rewards, but they never discovered
the editors and publishers-"La
Libre Belgique' continued to appear
with its announced irregularity on
Won Bissing's table. Probably moth
ing in all that the Belgians did ir-
ritated the Germans more, and they
were incapable of seeing that their
desperate and intense enmfty only
made il the more powerful. Now
and then they did succeed in arrest
ing some luckless person who was
distributing it, or who had copy;
but even those who had it could not
tell whence it came. Women spies,
dressed as nuns, were sent about
soliciting subscriptions; they went
to every door behind which they sus-
pected some one of knowing about
the paper and asked for odd num-
bers to complete their files. But all
to no avail; neither editor nor print
err was ever discovered.
We Start for the Front
I had seen one side, and a hide
Gus side, of the war, and that was
the side behind the scenes; but
was always regretting or reminding
myself that one day L should re-
gret that l had not seen that one
side of martial glory and splendor
and heroism, of which we had only
the echoes in the distant thud and
boom of the cannonading there from
the trenches so far to the south Of
us-the sound that could be heard
always, when by day one was away
from the noises of the city, or when
by night they were stilled. l had
often reproached Lancken with in
hospitality in not taking Villalobar
and me to see their great spectacle,
and finally one afternoon he asked
me if 1 was really in earnest. and
when l said that of course 1 was he
forthwith arranged the excursion for
the next day. July 2, and we drove
villalobar, Count Harrach and /, in
Ianckens big gray automobile. We
took the familiar road to Hal, and
driving rapidly with the muffler off,
as German motors always drove, by
Enghien and Ath, we came to Tour
nay byftea time Then after inspect
ing the cathedral with it's famous
five towers, a noble specimen of me-
dieval architecture dating from the
eleventh century, we went to a little
"patisserie' for tea. Madame la pa
trone, a bright, talkative little wom-
an, was full of curiosity as to who
we were and what we were about,
and when Won der Lancken said:
Nous venons de visiter votre
belle cathedrale." eve have just
visited your beautiful cathedraD
the woman replied:
"Oui, ct puisque vous avez de-
truit Ia belle cathedrale de Rheims
Jespere que vous epargnerez la
notre! eyes, and since you have
destroyed the beautiful cathedral at
Rheims, hope that you will spare
ours.)
The baron turned as red as the
band on his cap and the lining OF