The conversation turned upon Belgian and English relations before this war.  The Governor General mentioned documentary evidence found in the archives in Brussels, proving an understanding between these countries against Germany.  He spoke briefly about the point that the subjects of King Albert had been betrayed into the hands of English financiers and then laconically said:  “The people of Belgium are politically undisciplined children.

“They are the victims of subtle propaganda that generally takes the form of articles in French and neutral newspapers,” and General von Bissing looked me straight in the eyes, as though to emphasize that by neutral he meant the newspapers of the United States.  “I can understand the French doing this,” he said, “because they always use the Belgians and do not care what happens to them.  It is beyond my comprehension, though, how the Government of any neutral country permits the publication of newspaper articles that can have but one effect, and that is to encourage revolt in a captured people.  A country likes to call itself humanitarian, and yet it persists in allowing the publication of articles that only excite an ignorant, undisciplined people and lead them to acts of violence that must be wiped out by force,” and the Governor General’s mouth closed with a click.

“Do you know that the people of Brussels, whenever a strong wind carries the booming of heavy guns miles in from the front, think that French and English are going to recapture the city?  Any day that we can hear the guns faintly, we know that there is an undercurrent of nervous expectancy running through the whole city.  It goes down alleys and avenues and fills the cafes.  You can see Belgians standing together, whispering.  Twice they actually set the date when King Albert would return.

“This excitement and unrest, and the feeling of the English coming in, is fostered and encouraged by the articles in French and neutral newspapers that are smuggled in.  I do not anticipate any uprising among the Belgians, although the thoughtless among them have encouraged it.  An uprising is not a topic of worry in our councils.  It could do us no harm.  We would crush it out like that,” and von Bissing snapped his thin fingers, “but if only for the sake of these misled and betrayed people, all seditious influences should cease.”

I asked the Governor General the attitude of officials of the Belgian Government who were being used by the Germans in directing affairs.

“My predecessor, General von der Goltz,” he replied, “informed me that the municipal officials in Brussels and most Belgian cities showed a good co-operative spirit from the start.  The higher officials were divided, some refusing flatly to deal with the German administration.  I do not blame these men, especially the railway officials, for I can see their viewpoint.  In these days railway roads and troop trains were inseparable, and if those Belgian railway officials had helped us, they