The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-02-13
BELG|ANS EASILY
oUTWF GERMANS
Hugh Gibson Says Governor Gen.
eraI Gets Suppressed News
paper Regularly.
SPIRIT REMAINS UNBRokEN
Stupid ProcIamatlons Of German Com
manders Cause Much Amusement
Among bcIQIans-oays Stories
of atrocities Are All True.

New York.-Up to the entrance OF
the United States in the war against
Germany, approximately $1,000 Bel
gian civilians had been shot, taken
into Germany as prisoners, or fined for
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 buoyant spirit of the
people, which, he said, has not been
Quenched by the Teuton invaders.
The stupid proclamations Of the Ger
man commandments 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
1t was announced from German head
quarters that any one seen laughing
around an official bulletin would be Sc
verely punished. Thereafter persons
iCodlhS tuC UuIlcIluS WOulu uIOLIC
themselves up in neckcloths that con-
cealed half their faces and laugh to
themselves.
All the Belgian newspapers were
suppressed, and the population re-
ceived its news from publications is
sued by the Germans, which told of
their military victories, Mr.. Gibson de-
clared.
Papers Published Secretly.
I'm spite of this fact, the Befgians,
under the very nose of the governor
general, published clandestine newspa
pers," he continued 1.-THE governor
would get his copy regularly.
Sometimes he found 1t 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-
,erned in publishing the paper, 1t
availed him nothing, and when I left
t was reported that every time he
saw a copy of one Of the Belgian Sc
,ret newspapers he fell into tan |
rum"
English and Dutch newspapers were
into Belgium. Mr.. Gibson
continued, though copy of London
paper sold as high as $50 at time
when the German authorities were do
ng their utmost to stop the SNUG
JoI {v1
ented by the hour and the owner
would sit on a mans doorstep until
le had finished 1t, when he would pass
on to receive another fee from the
text customer Mr.. Gibson referred
o Cardinal MERCER as 'the splendid
Id figure whose work has undOne the
abors Of many German army corps"
The stories Of arson. pillage, murder,
orture, and mutilation committed by
he German invaders are all too true,
ccording to Mr.. Gibson. The true
tory, he said will not be told until
he Germans have been driven out of
Belgium and northern France, when
he population Of the invaded districts
sill show the world the proofs Of the
aerman atrocities. ,
German Spies Poorly Paid.
The hordes of spies hired by the
,ermans are for the most part poor
nd III paid, according to Mr.. Gibson,
Tho said that he had the honor OF
aving one assigned to follow him con-
family. The man would stand in front
f Gibson's house in all sorts of wealth
r and would scan the visitors. FIRE.
uently Mr.. Gibson would inform the
py that he might leave, as he was
OF expecting any more visitors
LENDERS of the secretary's staff would
Sc the spy as a messenger, and would
estow liberal tips on him in return
Or fetching cigarettes and other ar
cles.