The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-15
TELLS HOW BELGIAnS
0UTW|T GERMANS
Hugh Gibson Says Governor General
Gets Suppressed News Regularly.
Spirit Remains Unbroken.

Up to the entrance of the United
States in the war against Germany
approximately $4,000 Belgian civilians
had been shot. taken into Germany
as prisoners. or fined for offending
the German authorities in Belgium in
various ways, according to Hugh Glib
son, former secretary Of the Ameri-
can legation at Brussels
MIR. Gibson. who la at present chief
of the division of foreign intelligence
or the state department. recently de-
scribed with many poignant details
the sufferings of the Belgians and
the irrepressible and huoyant spirit of
the people. which, he said. has not
BEEN quenched by the Teuton invader.
The stupid proclamations of the
German commandments posted daily
and oftener on the buildings and
boardings of the streets OF Belgian
cities caused the population cons'd-
cradle amusement at first. Mr.. Gibson
said. until 1t was announced from
German headquarters that any one
seen laughing around an oficiai bull
tetin would be severely punish I'd.
Thereafter persons reading the bull
let'ns would rnuffle Themselves up In
neckcloths that concealed half their
"a ces and laugh to themselves.
All the Belgian newspapers were
suppressed, and the population re-
reived It's news from publications ls-
sued bv the Germans. which told OF
their military victories, Mr.. Gibson
declared.
Jparers Published Secretly.
"In spite of this fact. the BelTians,
under the very nose OF the governor
~ 1,sy%
papers," he contineud THE COVER
nor general would get his copy regu-
larry. Sometimes he found II under
his plate. sometimes 1t was tossed into
hts window, sometimes. It came into
his home with the vegetables, some
times twas mailed to him In an Of
fetal envelope OF the German mill
tarv headquarters itself. but, in spite
Of the fact that he offered 100 600
marks for information leading to the
arrest OF those concerned in publish
ing the pa per u awaited him nothing.
and when I left 1t was reported that
every time he saw cony of one OF
the Belgian secret newspapers he fell
into tantrun."
English and Dutch newspapers
we're smugvied into Belgium, Mr..
Gibson continued, though q copy OF
At time when the German authori-
lies were doing their utmost to stop
the smuggling. The papers Emuseled
IN were rented by the hour and the
owner would sit on a mans doorstep
Until he had finished 1t. when he
would pasA It on TO receive another
Zee from the next customer. Mr.. Gfb-
son referred to Cardinal MERCER az
"the splendid old figure whose work
has undone the labors OF manN Ger
man army corps"
The stories OF arson, pil'age, muir
der. torture, and mut'lation commit
ted by the German invaders are al
too true, Mr.. Gibson told the audience
that packed the room and crowded
the rear and the sides of the cham
her. The true story. he said, Will mol
be told until the Germans have beer
driven out of Belgium and Northern
France. when the population of the
invaded districts will show the world
the proofs of the German atrocities
German Spies Poorly Paid.
The hordes of spies hired by ths
Cernars are for the most part pooI
ana III paid, according TO Mr.. Gibson
who said that he had the honor OF
having one ASSIGNED TO follow him
constantly. The Dan would stand In
front OF Gibson's house in all sorts
Of weather and would scan the visi.
tors. Frequently MFR. Gibson woulo
inform the spy that he might leave
az he was not expecting any more
visitors. Members OF the secretary
staff would use the spy as messen'
ger, and would bestow liberal tifN on
him In return for fetching cigarettes