Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-09
:: The Truth About Belgium

BY BRAND WHITLOCK

not oe disturbed. 1T was difficult
to keep ones temper with such
boorish fellow as this youth. and il
was unpleasant to adopt IN dealing
with him the only tone he under
stood. perhaps st was because we
could not quite do the one that we
succeeded so well in doing the
other. we told him that we should
state our business TO no one but the
general and in short that we were
not accustomed 10 speaking 10
a!des-de-camp.
y flush Of rage Redeemed the
young checks that were Scared bv
the balafns OF the prudent duels.
but che pHrS>" did its work: and
Young JaCkauapsS clicked his heels
and went in, c.uc slamming out
presently. shouted angrily TO us
hat monsieur le general wished US
10 wait. clicked hiss heels again, and
flung ont of the room in a fine show
Of temper.
.slueILe politcsse." ,"How polite
said the marquis.
We sat down and waited. cooling
our heels il not our tempers. while
the general finished his dinner.
We waited long. German generals
are good trenchermen. and the wine
that POOR Davignon had left behind>>
in his cellar was excellent But
all things come to an end, and fin
ally the general came in. He had
dined well. of course. and we had
not dined at all; he came in, very
friendly and with a certain loud
laughing geniality. begged our par
don for having kept us waiting and
showed us into his, or into Davig-
mons. private room. We spoke of
the arrest of the Bourgmetre.
"Qu'est-ce que ca peut bien vous
faire?" C''What affair of yours is
that?'O
II was. of course. none Of our af-
fair. as we admitted. but our good
offices were at his service in the
exigency. Then he told us the whole
story 1t was, he said, the third
serious difficulty he had had with
Max. and when he mentioned Max's
name he had to restrain his feel
ings: he said that the difficulty was
that Max had been growing too pop
uIar and that his popularity had
gone to his head, in the intoxicat-
ing way that popularity will at
times.
Won Luttwitz Explains.
That man has never written me
a letter" ne said, lin which there
was not concealed some sharp prick
ing point" and he gave a vicious
stab with his finger in the air TO
illustrate the effect of MaX's
piquancy.
Il said this TO him the other day,
he went on. Monsieur Max, do you
know what l think you are trying
to do? 1 think you are trying 10
become the first president OF the
Belgian Republic
He spoke then Of the first dis
agreement with Max, the atfalr OF
the famous affiche. Il had no IN
tention of repeating what Max told
me" he went on, but L felt in duty
hound to report il to my govern
ment. They told it to the Com
rnandant at Liege who afflched II
Then he spoke of the next athche,
,ba one concerning the Belgian
flags. which was subsequently COW
cred with white paper, and at last
came to the case under notice, MS
ov-n latest affiche, and Max's letter
IN Dufaire of the Deutsche Bank.
There was nothing left for me
IN do hut to arrest Max said Cen
eraI Won Luttwitz. His face grew
very hard as he sat there. and very
red his gray hair giving him dis
tinguished look.
"One or the other must rule mere
he exclaimed. he or ], and | am put
here TO rule. When this house burns,
III burn with it, under the ashes OF
the door sill" He clenched his hst'
then gave a rather harsh laugh. we
made A last effort TO get him 10 re-
consider his decision and release
Max. but he shook his head deter
minedly.
he has already been sent away.
he explained. Il gave him hne
dinner" he concluded, and relaxed
more comfortably in his chair he
added that Max would be sent TO
fortress at Namur. in honorable
confinement. That seemed to close
the incident. He was prepared Tor
trouble when the worst became
known:'he had posted guns every
where. But he hoped to avoid H.
he wished the Echevins to continue
in their functions, and he asked us
if we could help him by any sug-
gestions-
IF the Brussels police continue at
their posfs and maintain order,