BELGIUM 472 BELGIUM The capture of Antwerp was a severe blow to the heroic little Belgian army, and almost threatened its utter demorali- zation. But it gradually rallied under the invincible national spirit, and was indeed increased and reorganized so as to take part in the great battle of the Yser. It thence remained an important factor, in military operations, up to the end of the war. Refugees who had gone over to England, and fled to France, now returned to fight in its ranks. One of the first acts of Von der Goltz, the German governor, was the levying of heavy contributions on the conquered cities. In addition a program of "fright- fulness," as the Germans themselves called it, was inaugurated both in actual conflict and in dealing with the people. From October, 1916, to the end of Janu- ary, 1917, 120,000 Belgians were deported to Germany. Public protests and the voice of neutrals lessened the outrage there- after in Belgium, although it continued along the German front in France. The Rockefeller Relief Commission be- gan an organized movement in February, 1915, for the agricultural restoration of the devastated country in Belgium and northern France. It was estimated that the total loss in agricultural districts in Belgium alone was some two hundred and eighty millions. A world-wide conference held in London a little later suggested a plan for the restoration of the country after the war. Stimulated and perhaps shamed by such endeavor, the German Government in Belgium itself began to undertake some practical measures for the relief of the people. It promised also safe conduct for American vessels laden with supplies. By September the United States had contributed six million dollars in money, clothes, and food. The execution of Edith Cavell, which took place in October, 1915, also aroused international indignation, and must be referred to as one of the outstanding inci- dents of the Belgian campaign. Miss Cavell, an English nurse in charge of a training school at Brussels, was accused of assisting in the escape of prisoners from the country. After a brief confine- ment she was condemned to be shot by a squad of soldiers. Only one bullet struck and wounded her when the Ger- man officer in charge of the firing-squad drew his revolver and shot her dead. English feeling was aroused to a tremen- dous pitch and the execution was one of the greatest incitements to outside feel- ing against Germany of the whole war. So far as regards the general admin- istration of the country under German rule, however, it must be conceded that so soon as it became thoroughly settled under Von Bissing more moderate meas- ures were adopted, at least tentatively. In March, 1915, General Von Hissing pro- claimed that he was anxious to restore self-government to local communities and social welfare organizations, and that the German Red Cross was to be engaged in preventive work against prostitution, contagious diseases, and infant mortality. The other chief feature of German gov- ernmental policy was an effort to put the whole situation upon at least a self-sup- porting basis. To this end heavy taxes, especially on absentee landowners, w re promptly imposed. Nov. 13, 1915, proc- lamation of a monthly war-tax of 40,- 000,000 francs was made. To restore the industrial situation in the interests of the conqueror, a penalty was imposed on all Belgians who refused to return to their former trade, with severe punish- ment for any attempt to hinder them. Even destitution from any refusal to la- bor was punished. Penalties were also enacted against any attempt to boycott or hinder German goods from sale in Belgium. Several decrees against the unemployed were issued in the course of 1915, and strong measures were used by the Germans to wring every ounce of man-power in the country out of it. The Belgian army in 1916 was as- signed to defend a part of the western frontier. They had flooded their posi- tion from the river Yser and the Yser Canal so that their chief contact with the enemy was through the artillery. The little army had been reorganized and equipped by its allies, who supplied them with heavy guns for the defense, and it was fully bearing its part. M an- while a cavalry arm was being drilled in France for later opportunity. To the in- fantry had been given the charge of the water-defenses, the dykes forming the first line. The Belgian army bore its full part in the great fall offensive of 1918 which struck the decisive blow to Germany. It had the satisfaction of aggressive return warfare on its home soil and co-operated in the restoring of Bruges, Zeebrugge, and Ostend to the crown, and later in driving the enemy from Flanders. By the latter part of October the German forces of occupation were in full retreat, and King Albert made a triumphal entry into Ghent Nov. 13, reaching his capital Nov. 22. Under the Peace Treaty Germany was bound in advance to conform to any changes in the original treaty of 1839 which the Allies might decide to make. The borders of Belgium were to be en- larged by recognition of her sovereignty
