A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium Part 27

Despite the roar of work at the Legation, I went off after lunch with Mrs. Whitlock and did some Xmas shopping--ordered some flowers and chocolates. Went out and dropped Mrs. Whitlock at Mrs. B----'s, to help decorate the tree she is going to have for the English children here.

B---- is a prisoner at Ruhleben, and will probably be there indefinitely, but his wife is a trump. She had a cheery letter from him, saying that he and his companions in misery had organised a theatrical troupe, and were going soon to produce _The Importance of Being Earnest_.

_Brussels, Christmas, 1914_--- This is the weirdest Christmas that ever was--with no one so much as thinking of saying "Merry Christmas."

Everything is so completely overshadowed by the war, that had it not been for the children, we should have let it go unnoticed.

Yesterday evening there was a dinner at the Legation--Bicknell, Rose and James, the Hoovers and Frederick Palmer. Although there was a bunch of mistletoe over the table, it did not seem a bit Christmasy, but just an ordinary good dinner with much interesting talk.

Immediately after lunch we climbed into the big car and went out to Lewis Richards' Christmas tree. He has a big house at the edge of town, with grounds which were fairy-like in the heavy white frost. He had undertaken to look after 660 children, and he did it to the Queen's taste. They were brought in by their mothers in bunches of one hundred, and marched around the house, collecting things as they went. In one room each youngster was given a complete outfit of warm clothes. In another, some sort of a toy which he was allowed to choose. In another, a big bag of cakes and candies, and, finally, they were herded into the big dining-room, where they were filled with all sorts of Xmas food.

There was a big tree in the hall, so that the children, in their triumphal progress, merely walked around the tree. Stevens had painted all the figures and the background of an exquisite _creche_, with an electric light behind it, to make the stars s.h.i.+ne. The children were speechless with happiness, and many of the mothers were crying as they came by.

Since the question of food for children became acute here, Richards has been supplying rations to the babies in his neighbourhood. The number has been steadily increasing, and for some time he has been feeding over two hundred youngsters a day. He has been very quiet about it, and hardly anyone has known what he was doing.

It is cheering to see a man who does so much to comfort others; not so much because he weighs the responsibility of his position and fortune, but because he has a great-hearted sympathy and instinctively reaches out to help those in distress. Otherwise the day was pretty black, but it did warm the c.o.c.kles of my heart to find this simple American putting some real meaning into Christmas for these hundreds of wretched people.

He also gave it a deeper meaning for the rest of us.

_Brussels, December 31, 1914_--Here is the end of the vile old year. We could see it out with rejoicing, if there were any prospect of 1915 bringing us anything better. But it doesn't look very bright for Belgium.

THE CASE OF MISS EDITH CAVELL

_The extracts from this journal have been so voluminous as to preclude bringing the record much farther than the end of 1914. In the main the story of 1915-1916 is in the development of the Commission for Relief in Belgium and the new light shed each day upon German methods and mentality. It is a long story and could not be crowded between the covers of this volume. There is, however, one outstanding event in 1915--the case of Miss Edith Cavell--which is of such interest and so enlightening as to conditions in Belgium under German domination as to warrant its inclusion in this book. At the risk, therefore, of appearing disconnected it has been decided to publish as a final chapter an article in regard to the case of Miss Cavell which has already appeared in the "World's Work."_

On August 5, 1915, Miss Edith Cavell, an Englishwoman, directress of a large nursing home at Brussels, was quietly arrested by the German authorities and confined in the prison of St. Gilles on the charge that she had aided stragglers from the Allied armies to escape across the frontier from Belgium to Holland, furnis.h.i.+ng them with money, clothing and information concerning the route to be followed. It was some time before news of Miss Cavell's arrest was received by the American Legation, which was entrusted with the protection of British interests in the occupied portion of Belgium. When the Minister at Brussels received a communication from the Amba.s.sador at London transmitting a note from the Foreign Office stating that Miss Cavell was reported to have been arrested and asking that steps be taken to render her a.s.sistance, Mr. Whitlock immediately addressed a note to the German authorities asking whether there was any truth in the report of Miss Cavell's arrest and requesting authorisation for Maitre Gaston de Leval, the legal counselor of the Legation, to consult with Miss Cavell and, if desirable, entrust some one with her defense.

No reply was received to this communication, and on September 10th the Legation addressed a further note to Baron von der Lancken, Chief of the Political Department, calling his attention to the matter and asking that he enable the Legation to take such steps as might be necessary for Miss Cavell's defense.

On September 12th a reply was received from Baron von der Lancken in which it was stated that Miss Cavell had been arrested on August 5th and was still in the military prison of St. Gilles. The note continued:

She has herself admitted that she concealed in her house French and English soldiers, as well as Belgians of military age, all desirous of proceeding to the front. She has also admitted having furnished these soldiers with the money necessary for their journey to France, and having facilitated their departure from Belgium by providing them with guides, who enabled them to cross the Dutch frontier secretly.

Miss Cavell's defense is in the hands of the advocate Braun, who, I may add, is already in touch with the competent German authorities.

In view of the fact that the Department of the Governor-General, as a matter of principle, does not allow accused persons to have any interviews whatever, I much regret my inability to procure for M.

de Leval permission to visit Miss Cavell as long as she is in solitary confinement.

Under the provisions of international law the American Minister could take no action while the case was before the courts. It is an elementary rule that the forms of a trial must be gone through without interference from any source. If, when the sentence has been rendered, it appears that there has been a denial of justice, the case may be taken up diplomatically, with a view to securing real justice. Thus in the early stages of the case the American Minister was helpless to interfere. All that he could do while the case was before the courts was to watch the procedure carefully and be prepared with a full knowledge of the facts to see that a fair trial was granted.

Maitre de Leval communicated with Mr. Braun, who said that he had been prevented from pleading before the court on behalf of Miss Cavell, but had asked his friend and colleague, Mr. Kirschen, to take up the case.

Maitre de Leval then communicated with Mr. Kirschen, and learned from him that lawyers defending prisoners before German military courts were not allowed to see their clients before the trial and were shown none of the doc.u.ments of the prosecution. It was thus manifestly impossible to prepare any defense save in the presence of the court and during the progress of the trial. Maitre de Leval, who from the beginning to the end of the case showed a most serious and chivalrous concern for the welfare of the accused, then told Mr. Kirschen that he would endeavour to be present at the trial in order to watch the case. Mr. Kirschen dissuaded him from attending the trial on the ground that it would only serve to harm Miss Cavell rather than help her; that the judges would resent the presence of a representative of the American Legation.

Although it seems unbelievable that any man of judicial mind would resent the presence of another bent solely on watching the course of justice, Mr. Kirschen's advice was confirmed by other Belgian lawyers who had defended prisoners before the German military courts and spoke with the authority of experience. Mr. Kirschen promised, however, to keep Maitre de Leval fully posted as to all the developments of the case and the facts brought out in the course of the trial.

[Ill.u.s.tration: German proclamation announcing the execution of Miss Cavell

PROCLAMATION

Le Tribunal de Conseil de Guerre Imperial Allemand siegent a Bruxelles a p.r.o.nonce les cond.a.m.nations suivantes:

Cond.a.m.ne a mort pour trahison en bande organise:

Edith CAVAELL, Inst.i.tutrice a Bruxelles.

Philippe BANCQ, Architecte a Bruxelles.

Jeanne de BELLEVILLE, de Montignies.

Louise THUILIEZ, Professeur a Lille.

Louis SEVERIN, Pharmacien a Bruxelles.

Albert LIBIEZ, Avocat a Mons.

Pour le meme motif, ont ete cond.a.m.nes a quince ans de travaux forces:

Hermann CAPIAU, Ingenieur a Wasmes.--Ada BODART, a Bruxelles--Georges DERVEAU, Pharmacien a Paturages.--Mary de Croy, a Bellignies.

Dans la meme seance, le Conseil de Guerre a p.r.o.nonce contre dix-sept autres accuses de trahison envers les Armees Imperiales, des comd.a.m.nations de travaux forces et de prison variant entre deux ans et huit ans.

En ce qui concerne BANCQ et Edith CAVELL, le jugement a deja recu pleine execution.

Le General Gouverneur de Bruxelles porte ces faits a la connaissance de public pour qu'ils servent d'avertiss.e.m.e.nt.

Translation:

The Imperial German Court Martial sitting at Brussels has p.r.o.nounced the following sentence:

Condemned to death for treason committed as an organized band:

Edith Cavell, teacher, of Brussels.

Philippe Bancq, Architect, of Brussels.

Jeanne de Belleville, of Montignies.

Louise Thuilier, Teacher, of Lille.

Louis Severin, druggist, of Brussels.

Albert Libiez, lawyer, of Mons.

For the same offense the following are condemned to fifteen years of hard labor:

Hermann Capiau, engineer, of Wasmes--Ada Bodart, of Brussels--Georges Derveau, druggist, of Paturages--Mary de Croy, of Bellignies.

At the same session the Court Martial has p.r.o.nounced sentences of hard labor and of imprisonment, varying from two to eight years, against seventeen others accused of treason against the Imperial Armies.

As regards Bancq and Edith Cavell, the sentence has already been fully carried out.

The Governor-General brings these facts to the attention of the public in order that they may serve as a warning.]