Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-09-30
GERMANS WOULD .
SPREAD DISCORD
AMONG BELG|ANS
Propaganda of Governor Gen.
eraI Won Kissing Fails to
Bring About Results
Expected.

SlueTeu, lnSlQlOuS, anu yet WHollS
unsuccessful methods adopted by
the Germans to secure permanent
control of Belgium has been the TO-
menting of hatred between the two
races which inhabit the country SO
that one of them may be glad to
rely on German support in order to
secure ascendency.
The approximately 100000 in
habitants of Belgium are about
equally divided between Flemings
and Wallons with a slight predom-
nance of the former in numbers.
The dividing line runs from Ypres
through Brussels to the Dutch Dor
der, the people living north of it
being Flemings who speak Flemish,
a language very closely akin to
Dutch, and the people who live
south of it being Wallons who
speak French. Most of the agri-
cultural population is in Flanders;
most of the industrial population is
found among the Wallons. French
is the language of the cultured and
the wealthy so that although few
Walons speak Flemish, many Flem-
ish speak French. Despite the differ
ence in language, however, the two
peoples lived in unity and content
ment because the two languages
we're legally upon an equality in
the legislature, the courts and the
schools.
To Provoke Ill Feeling.
As soon as the Germans were we'll
established in Belgium, Governor
General Won Kissing founded the
"Vlamisches Buro" which has since
been one of the most active depart
ments of the German administra-
ton. German specialists in philo-
ology and ethnography flooded the
neutral press with inspired state
ments pretending to show that Bel
GUM was deeply divided between
two opposing factions and insisting
upon the urgent need of German
control in order to settle the Flem-
ish problem. The Germans fol-
lowed up this propaganda with three
measures designed to de 5elop per-
manent animosity between the two
peoples. They have been unsuc-
cessful in all of them.
The first and simplest, and the one
in which they expected an immedi-
ate and favorable response from the
Flemings, was the university prob
lem. The authorities of the four
universities had kept them shut
after the German invasion despite
the insistance of the German ad-
ministration that they open.
Professors Deported.
In December 1915 notice was
given that the administration would
open Client university and that
Flemish would be the sole language
of instruction. To the amazement
of the Germans the most vigorous
protestants to the measure were
the Flemish themselves led by Pro-
lessor Paul FREDERICK. For this
activity he and Professor Henri
Pirenne, another eminent profess
sor of history at Client were de-
ported on March 10, 1916 to prison
camps in Germany where they were
brutally treated. This did not pre-
vent their colleagues from making
an emphatic protest.
The University of Client was
opened with seven professors, one
German, one Dutch and five Bel
CLANS, all men of no distinction.
In addition there were a dozen
teachers of minor rank, chiefly Ger
man and Dutch. As was to be ex-
pected, the university was boycott
ted. At the beginning of 1917, it
contained but 1873 students of whom
only small number were following
re ular courses. Practically all of
them had entered the university to
avoid deportation and forced labor
behind the front.
Two Capitals for Belgium.
The second method adopted by
the Germans to attain their aim was
the division of Belgium March 81,
1917 into two administrative areas,
one Flemish with Brussels as the
capitol, the other WALTON with Ma
muir as the capitol, this despite the
fact that the majority of the people
of Brussels speak French.
In the Flemish area the two Ian
guages were no longer to be on a
legal equality. All official CORE
spondence was to be in Flemish.
The courts were to hold their ses-
sions in Flemish and instruction in
all schools and educational institu-
tons was to be in Flemish.
This action led to the most pro-
found resentment. Almost the en-
tire Belgian judiciary resigned and
were followed by many civil Off
Gals who preferred to give up their
livelihood rather than assist in the
dismemberment of their country.
Many were arrested and deported
to Germany. Over FIVE hundred
members of the bar signed a petit
ton against the decree of partition
to which were also appended the
signatures of all former senator's
and deputies still in Belgium, the
most prominent Flemish leaders
and members of municipal councils.
When Cardinal MERCER wrote to
the governor general that under
international law an invaded coun-
try continued to carry on its activ-
tiles under native forms and meth
DDS of administration, he received
an answer that the subject was not
one for discussion.
The third measure adopted by the
Germans was to establish a Council
of Flanders, whose duty was to Gre
ate an autonomous state out of the
Flemish-speaking portion of Bel
GUM. The council was composed
of thirty members, selected from
the very small group of copper
head Belgians known as activists.
These renegades sent deputation
20 Berlin with the request that the