The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-04

PARIS, March 3-Ever since the In
vasion Of Belgium the Belgian press
behaved admirably. Our colleagues
refused theoretically to submit to Ger
man censorship and suspended. purely
and simply. the publication of their
papers. Ever since that time, the en-
emy's government, to propagate it's
false news has had to create newspa-
pers Of its own, which were always
newspapers without readers, says a
correspondent of lie Petit Parisien,
writing from Brussels.
But 1t was necessary that the Bel
gian public receive good and correct
news; there was need of paper to
inform 1t of what was happening be-
yond the lines and to uphold its cotr.
age. The project was audacious and
extremely dangerous for the editors,
proofreaders, compositors and deliv-
erymen risked. in case Of discovery.
the penalty Of execution.
This sinister outlook did not re-
strain certain patriotic men of Brus-
sells. who, after taking all precautions.
launched one day La Libre Belgique
Gree Belgium This valiant little
paper from the day Of its first appear
ance had a considerable success
among the Belgians, and plunged the
famous vonBissing into the greatest
rage. Free Belgium entitled itself
modestly: "a Bulletin of Patriotic
Propaganda, Regularly Irregular, Sub.
hitting to Absolutely No Censorship"
The office of the publishers was iron
ically announced as at the "Komman-
dantur- Brussels" AS for the editing,
1t was said that mot being able to be
always in place of complete rest"
1t was done in "cave moved about
by automobile"
The German governor general null
tiplied his orders to discover the au-
thors Of Free Belgium, distributed free
throughout the whole kingdom. He
modified for this end an army of po-
lice; he offered very large reward
to any one who could furnish informa-
tion of value to his spies. 1t was in
vain.
Anxiety for the Editors.
The hundreds of thousands of read
ers knew no more than VonBissing
who edited and composed the courag-
eous little paper. They received it at
more or less regular dates; they read
It with eagerness; they were amused
by the caricatures of the governor
general and his subordinates; they
passed it on secretly, as a mere fact
OF possessing copy was considered a
misdemeanor-andt that was all.
But what anxiety for the editors
Every one feared that they would soon
be discovered; for a printing shop is
not so easily hidden as a package OF
needles, and when an unusually long
interval separated two numbers, there |
W. 20 flah
who laughed so obstinately and so
wittily at Won BLESSING and his thun-
derings.
The clandestine publication of Free
Belgium ended with the signing of
the armistice. The people of Brus-
sells have now learned, with lively sur
prise, that it was in the capital itself |
and in neighboring suburb that the
composition and printing Of the pro-
hibited paper were done. The unpub-
lished story or the circumstances in
which Free Belgium was founded has
just been revealed to us by M. Eugene
van Doren, its principal author, or at
least, he who composed it, printed it |
and distributed it with the aid of sew
eral Belgian journalists of talent,
among whom were M. Victor Jourdain.
editor-in-chief of the Patriotic, who fur
nished the necessary funds, and Mr..
van de Kercheve, who, under the sig
nature of "Fidelis," chastised the in.
vaders with vigorous and witty pen.
Hiding Place In Cane
The title was given by Victor Jour-
dain. who took charge of the editing.
NJ. Van Doren assumed the task of
and industrial organiza-
ton. The first number published the
letter of Cardinal MERCER,
Patriotism and Endurance" The |
copies were put in envelopes by M.
Van. Doren with the assistance of his
wife; he delivered them himself to
and senators, and he