Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1916 — CANNOT STOP PAPER [ARTICLE]

CANNOT STOP PAPER

Germans Fail to Suppress the Libre Belgique. Mysterious Belgian Newspaper Appears Regularly In Spite of All —_ Efforts to Prevent Bold in Criticism. Paris. From Brussels the news leaks out that in spite of the thousands of German spies in the city the Libre Belgique has succeeded in publishing a new issue. The boldness and wonderful tenacity of the mysterious Belgian patriots who continue, in spite of everything, to publish their daring paper, form an amusing and amazing side to the war. The Germans as soon as they had entered Brussels took possession of all the newspapers. The so-called Belgian papers published by the Kommandantur were in reality merely German sheets printed in French. Very soon after the Libre Belgique appeared. Who was the editor? Where was it printed? No one has ever been able to find out, but it has had and still has the courage to print all the things which the Germans want to remain unknown. Until now it has appeared in about sixty issues, that is to say almost weekly, and it kas published documentary proofs of the German misdeeds, has criticized German bulletins of victories, and has prophesied from .the start the inevitable downfall of Germany. • - In most merciless manner it teases the conquerors, it stimulates the Belgians, gives publicity to the thousands of little tricks which the irrepressible street urchins of Brussels play on the Germans, and flays the kaiser r the military governor, and German generals in every issue. , V ~~ —Von Bissing himself still receives a special copy with exasperating regu-

larity, and* Invariably the - ’ governor finds it on top of all the other papers on his desk. It Is as if a Belgian Kuklux Klan were at work. Recently the Jesuit College of St. Michel* and the Redemptorist convent of Jette tfere thoroughly searched. Several persons were arrested, suspected of being connected with the paper, but all had to be released again. The governor first promised a prize of 25,000 francs ($5,000) to any person who would betray the names of the editors and publishers, and the prize was raised to 50,000 ($10,000) and then to 75,000 francs, ($15,000), but in vain. I=3 The following story appeared in one of the recent issues of the paper, copies of which even reach Paris. It reprints the story told by the famous English war correspondent, Russell of the Times, who followed the Prussian army in 1870, about the destruction of the Chateau of Saint Cloud. Russell visited the chateau with a German officer named Strautz. A few moments before the chateau was set afire, Strautz exclaimed; “Gentlemen, I am the last commandant of Saint Cloud. For the very last time we will visit the magnificent apartments. We will throw a last glance at them, and in order that they may forever remain in our memory we will each take along a souvenir. Take whatever you want wines, painting*, or book®, whatever you like.” Russell adds: *1 went Inside with Lieutenant von Biasing and Major von Glass and when they saw that 1 carried away nothing they insisted that I must do so. I explained to them that my position was different and that I could hot take what had not been, offered to me. «■ “Then you ought to have seen what happened. From all sides gifts poured in on me, gifts so magnificent that it would take the author of the Arabian nights to describe them.” . The Libre Belgique tdentlflee this Von Biesing as the present governor of Belgium, who was born In 1844* and who served .as a lieutenant in the Prussian army in 1870. .