The Washington times., 1919-01-12

QlSreSpecC an0ther
turned up side street at his approach still
severely punished suspicion of 'hose disposition"
for the German "kommandatur'' ordered show q
friendly and loyal disposition to our tOrturers
Linked with my memory Of this visit of Prince Eitel
is event which, while not associated with happened
almost Immediately aferward. refer to the execution
of Mile Delicia Roland the daughter of Monsieur and
Mme Roman Roland who lived on a small estate near
Bantgny NJ Roland the grandson of one of Napo-
Icons generals and quite widely known. He was
invalid however, and remained in his home when the
Germans Mile Roland very pretty and lovable
and engaged in such good works were permissible.
The Germans allowed no French newspapers papers
of any of the allied countries to filter through their lines
to the people of the occupied territories The only
had of the progress of the that which
could translate from German journals and from rumors
that back from the front lines and from
sonal copies of the seeret newspapers" which came
into hands surrepttous These secret newspapers
printed mysteriously mostly in Belgium and were
distributed from hand hand despite all the Germans
could do to ferret them out.
The most famous of these La Libre Belgique
which from Belgium, always containing true
count of the military situation and discussion of the
trend of the events price put upon the head
of the editors and publishers and the whole German Sc
ret service was constantly seeking the printers but with
out avail Each issue of the paper continued to appear
with the eagerly craved.
At last Beseer issued order fixing Aath as the
penalty for having copy of this paper in ones posses
sion Three priests arrested under this order in
formation given by spy who said copies OF the paper
would be found in their rectory. The rectory was
were sentenced life imprisonment however because in
giving their testimony they could not avoid saying that
they had different occasions and read copies OF
this secret paper.
One morning Mile Roland was halted by squad of
soldiers she about to leave Epnoy where she had
been visiting refugees from burned village nearer
the trenches Evidently spy had been at work. for hid
den her clothing found the most recent copy of La
Dibre Begique which she taking home to her Invalid
father There hasty court martial at the admins
tration building at Epinoy and Mile Roland was con-
demned death. She given alternative to the
supreme penalty however If she would tell from whom
she procured the conraband newspaper and point the
way to his or her she would be liberated if such
confession should establish chain by which the authorities
could find the publishers at the most guilty vendors
Mile Roland declined to implicate any one else
Others had been given similar opportunities and all had SO
far refused clemency under such conditions She could
do nothing else. ~
They led her. between armed soldiers, to within a
stone throw of her home The officer OF the hrlng
squad pleaded with her to give him the information the
Germans wanted more than her life When she continued
to refuse the officer called Mile Roands mother to her
front porch hoping the sight of her would unnerve the
Young girl Mile. Roland shuddered, but that was ALL
She that she could expose the distributors
of the secret newspaper and thus deprive the inhabitants
f e invaded regions of their only of of the
Tuev would not let the mother near her. They
would not even allow them to call to each other. Mile
Roland told to commend her soul to God She moved
her ps in silent prayer and despite the orders OF the
officer of the firing squad she called last farewell to her
screaming mother. Then they shot her.
after this Beseler said at the dinner table that
night here will be fewer of these internal lying news
papers from Belgium but the secret newspapers were
distributed just the same
Mile Roland did not die in vain