The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-01-08

0iy United preH4i
Hiit SSi3t4A. Dec. ij.auiy Maiil
WDh the coming of liberty 20 Eel
gium. Ia iahre iirlEiquu has de-.
parted. and the Patriot has reap
pcarrd, II IN now possible 10 toll
that the moat remarkable Of war.
time newspapers la i.hre Iclglaue.
which successfully defled German
efforts to suppress It FOR four years.
was the Patriot. a long established
Catholic weekly. IN disguise
Victor Jourdain. aged editor uf
the Patriot likewise edited the viii
o'thr wiap sheet which kept Ger
man officials In constant state Of
irritation during their occupation OF
his country and helped to keen the
spirit OF the belgian people stead
fast
lie died a few weeks ago Just too
soon to see his city OF brussels lib
Grated.
Patriot Suppressed
The Patriot was suppressed by
German order ~ the outset Of the
war. A few weeks later copies OF "a
new paper began 90 fan Into the
hands OF the German officials and
army officers IL did not prove pop.
ulnr with the latter. Gen Won Hiss
ine. military governor. offered 90
GOO francs reward for the name 81
the editor and promised one years
Imprisonment to any Belgian found
reading a.
There were arrests In great mum
her OF persons suspected ~ the cdi
torship. but no convictions. u
seemed that almost every body who
could possibly have been guilty was
arrested at one time or another
every body except Jourdaln. one
man waa held by the Germans TO
have been proved sufficiently guilty
to warrant one year sentence. but
HelElans la the secret say he was
innocent
Police Kept busy
The haffled German police we've
KEEP, busy running down false clues
Given tho tip that tho printing
plant would bc found % such.and
such street. they would rush
thlther. only % find vacant lot
or an empty house. Told that a
man % a certain name was the &C.
tual editor they would comb Hrus
seis for him. learning eventually he
We not In the city and never had
boon.
While tho police hunted. Victor
Jourdain prepared copy lie pointed
out intentional errors IN the Ger.
man official communlque. hs gave
tho belgian people the latest news
OF the belgian army and the allied
armies. he riiicuied and hmpoon"d
tho German Officials. and generally
kept alive the peoples faith in n
better day 10 come
How lie Did u
4 few times Obscure printing
shops 'u ihe eity set up and printed
thr ilfiie four page rapsr Tor tho
mpst rar, however. ihe work wnH
done Ia shops clsru here loursiain
would appear b. night AZ the home
Of some small town or city printer
always selecting ono for the mo
mrnt free OF German troops. Next
morning he would depart In his an
;omohllc with the entire Issue con
cealcd In tho car. Distribution
would begin an far as possible from
tho place where the printing was
done.
In spite Of tho difficulties Of pub
llcntion In fAer~ tielFiauc nearly
always was neat and attractive
Sometimes. when
the services OF n complete printing
plant were obtainable. the first page
would be borser~d IN the national
colorH. red. yellow and black. Ed.
tons. OF courEe. were not regular
regularly irregular was the
papers own statement OF It's pub
iioatlon dates. but Jourdain man.
AGED usually TO issue ono each
month
Part compensation for his trou.
bie~ was found by the editor In
such announcements IA these;
Not submitted 10 any censor"
Telegraph address. Commando.
tur. Brusaels."
offices: Not being able 10 cstab.
lish these In fixed place. they are