The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-25
IN TRAITOR HUNT
Belgium Shows No Mercy to
Those Who Aided Hun.
Rich and Poor Alike, They Are
Being Punished Now.
ALL COURTS ARE KEPT BUSY
Some Who Have Escaped the
Country Executed in Effigy.
Many of Worst Offenders Given
Long Prison Terms.
ALL COURTS ARE KEPT BUSY

Brussels. Dec. Est tried three
times to leave the country to join up"
said a Belgian workman to me. ION
the last occasion I came so near being
~ sctrocuted on the live wire that
NJ re up any further attempts. l vas
oet Of work for eighteen months; my
A1fe and children were famished.
Nearly all in my little home had been
sold; rent was in heavy arrear. The
Germans offered me regular work on
munitions in Germany, and an allow
ance and protection for my wife and
family. I took their offer. for the
sake OF my dear ones. Today the vii
lagc shuns me as traitor"
That is one case. in. say. hundred.
The bulk of the Belgian traitors who
helped the Germans during the occu-
patton did so either from pure stupid
IL or from political motives. Many
thought that Belgium was scheduled
Is permanent German province.
some became pro-German in order TO
lie free from German interference
with their daily life and occupations.
Horse and cattle dealers, farmers, and
some iron-founders were especially
open4 Prussian Establishments, main
- on account of their. war utility.
AL Courts Busy.
Ever since the armistice the Bel
Riau courts have been busy trying
OF the accused. especially those who
are charged with delivering patriotic
Belgians to the Germans, with forcing
Belgian workmen to take employment
under the Germans, and with acts of
prosecution against the Belgian gov
eminent have fled the country, never
to return. Not few of these, in their
absence and in view of the gravity OF
their crimes, have been sentenced to
death. In some of the worst cases
among these, there is Il mock eXecu-
ton Of the guilty ones in the public
market places of the Belgian cities
with guillotine, sheriff, gendarmes and
all the paraphernalia of the last act
Of the criminals career. Many more
are serving long terms of imprison-.
ment.
Rich and Poor Alike.
Voluntary help to the Germans in
their war enterprises of any nature is
enough to secure a conviction. High
and low. rich and poor, have had to
20 thru the hoop" Complaint is
made that justice is slow. that some
Of the upper crust get away scot free,
while the starving labOrer goes to jail
one or two OF the accused openly avow
that they prefer German rule. to Bel
g!an. The fact is that the lists of every
court in the country contain hundreds
OF cases of treachery yet to be tried.
Aside from those traitors who have
TO meet their judges in the courts of
law. there is a class of anti-patriots
who are today being punished by pub
lie opinion. These are small trades
men and others who, by sailing close
TO the wind, have succeeded in keep
ing beyond the pale of the law, and yet
whose record is known to their neigh
bors as having been distinctly pro-
German during the war.
Patriotic Societies Help.
Seconding the efforts of the consti-
tuted authorities, a federation of near
~ hundred local patriotic societies
turnout the country is also busily en-
gagged in ferretting out and investigat-
ing cases of treachery and trading
with the enemy. which private re-
search can work" more effectively
than government detectives. This fed
Grafton. called Justice" collects and
collates evidence Of a preliminary
character, and places it before the
courts as a basis for prosecution.