The first one, posted on the walls of Pont-a-Celles, near Luttre, says, among other things:  “If the workmen accept the above conditions (that is to say, resume work with handsome wages) the prisoners will be released....”  The “prisoners” being several hundred workers who had been imprisoned in their shops and deprived of food. (April, 1915.)

The second, signed von Bissing (so that nobody could imagine that these measures were taken by some too zealous subaltern) and posted in Malines, on the 30th of May, tells us that “the town of Malines must be punished as long as the required number of workmen have not resumed work.”  These workmen were employed by the Belgian State—­which owns the country’s railway—­for the repair of the rolling stock.  When they had refused to resume work, at the beginning of the occupation, a few hundred German workmen had filled their posts.  These had been sent back to their military depots.  The patriotic duty of these Belgians was evident enough:  by resuming their work, they released German soldiers for the front and increased the number of coaches and engines, of which the enemy was in great need for the transport of troops.  If you will compare this poster with the one printed above and dated July 25th, you will be confronted with one of the neatest examples of German duplicity.  Other people have broken their promises after making them.  It was left to Governor von Bissing to make them after breaking them.

The third document is still more conclusive.  On June the 16th the citizens of Ghent could read on their walls that:  “The attitude of certain factories which refuse to work for the German Army under the pretext of patriotism proves that a movement is afoot to create difficulties for the German Army.  If such an attitude is maintained I will hold the communal authorities responsible and the population will have only itself to blame if the great liberties granted to it until now are suspended.”  This clumsy declaration is signed by Lieutenant-General Graf von Westcarp.  And to think that, even now, Governor von Bissing perseveres in maintaining that no military work has ever been asked or will ever be asked from the Belgian workers!  As the French proverb says:  “On n’est jamais trahi que par les siens.” [4]

But, like the man who marries his mistress after the birth of the first child, the Governor General was thinking of “regularising the situation.”  He knew that his attitude was illegal.  He decided, therefore, to concoct a few decrees in order to legalize it in the eyes of the world.  He had, you see, to save appearances.  You cannot get on with no law at all.  It might shock neutrals.  So, if you break all the articles of the Hague Convention one by one, like so many sticks, the only thing to do is to manufacture some fresh regulations to replace them.  And everything will again be for the best in the best of worlds.

That is where German subtlety comes in.  You must not do things rashly, at once.  Like a skilful dramatist, you must prepare the public to take in a situation.  There is a true artistic touch in the way this General of Cavalry succeeds in gradually legalizing illegality.