Jean Massart - La Presse Clandestine dans la Belgique Occupee

To the Editor of the Westminster Gazette.
Sir,—In all British fairness some prominence might be given to the very narrow escape Brussels had from the
terrible fate of Louvain, as described in the Daily Telegraph by its capable correspondent, Mr. Gerald
Morgan. He states that, “accompanied by Richard Harding Davis", he was “permitted by the Germans to
follow" their Army. A battle near Waterloo was expected, but it did not come off. Mr. Morgan and his friend
returned to Brussels, and—I quote his exact words, as given in the Pall Mall Gazette—he “found the town on
the verge of a turmoil. This was owing to General von Jarodzky's stupidity, and very nearly involved the town
in the same rate which afterwards overwhelmed Louvain. He was left in the city with a brigade of 5.000 men.
He moved 3.000 of these suddenly outside the city, and then as suddenly became alarmed for the safety of the
remainder amongst so large a hostile population. He therefore marched the 3.000 camped outside hastily back
again. It was reported that the Germans had been completely defeated in a great battle fought at Waterloo, and
were fleeing in confusion. The inhabitants of Brussels wished to take up arms and finish off Jarodzky and any
survivors, but fortunately the error was discovered in time”. Now, this is exactly what the German generals
declare to have happened at Louvain. We know as a certainty that a small German force was actually defeated
outside Malines, and actually fled into Louvain on the very evening it was burned and devastated. The
Germans allege that the townsfolk immediately started “to finish off the survivors", firing from the windows
and house−tops. This insane act would rouse the devil in any soldiery, and may explain how, after a
twenty−four hours' struggle, the unhappy town was a heap of ruins. Lord Roberts, the justest and gentlest of
conquerors, most properly ordered widespread farm−burning in South Africa for the same offence. If you
shoot without blame a soldier who tries to shoot you in the front, should you do less to an armed civilian who
shoots you in the back?—Yours, etc.,
A LIBERAL Ex−M. P.
(Westminster Gazette, September 5th 1914.)
TRADUCTION.
Or, c'est exactement cela que les generaux allemands declarent s'etre passe a Louvain. Nous savons de facon
certaine qu'une petite troupe allemande fut effectivement defaite en dehors de Malines, et qu'elle s'enfuit dans
Louvain le soir meme ou la ville fut brulee et devastee. Les Allemands affirment que la population de la ville
se mit immediatement a “en finir avec les survivants", et qu'on tira des fenetres et des toits. Cet acte de folie
mettrait le diable au corps de toute troupe de soldats, et cela expliquerait comment, apres un combat de
vingt−quatre heures, la malheureuse ville n'etait plus qu'un amas de ruines. Lord Roberts, le plus equitable et
le plus doux des conquerants, ordonna a tres juste titre l'incendie de nombreuses fermes en Afrique australe,
pour le meme delit. Si vous abattez a coups de fusil un soldat qui tente de vous tuer loyalement par devant,
feriez−vous moins au civil arme qui vous tire un coup de fusil par derriere?
Votre, etc. Un ancien membre liberal du Parlement.
La Presse Clandestine dans la Belgique Occupee
On voit immediatement que tout l'interet de l'affiche allemande s'effondre si le premier mot de la citation est
inexact: Lorsque la population...
Or, le feuillet 3 du Bureau des deutschen Handelstages, Berlin, recu par plusieurs maisons de commerce
bruxelloises (voir plus loin, p. 43), reproduit aussi l'extrait de Frankfurter Zeitung; mais au lieu de dire:
“Lorsque la population urbaine...”, le feuillet de propagande dit: “Si la population de Louvain...”, ce qui est
conforme au texte anglais. Acces de sincerite digne d'etre signale pour son caractere exceptionnel.
La faussete des affiches allemandes ne nous est en general demontree que longtemps apres leur publication.
Mais une autre de leurs qualites, la niaiserie, nous frappe tout de suite. Voici, a titre d'exemple, la copie d'une
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