WHO ARE THE HUNS?

174 German Administration in Belgium.
Of course the fact that the territory in question is in the
power of the Germans is something that can not be disputed.
(Article 42.) After the legal power in Belgium had passed into
the hands of the Germans, the German Government was obliged
to make all requisite provision to restore public order and to
re-establish and support the normal life of the populace, and
this, in so far as the difficulties were not insurmountable, under
the observation of the laws of the land. (Article 43.)
This, then, is the duty of Germany: to restore the administration,
to maintain the laws, re-establish the police, the postal
service and the railways of Belgium—in the interests of the
inhabitants, as well as of the occupying forces. The re-establishment
of the normal public life, the press, open meetings
.and the rights of society would naturally first have to be considered
with regard to the needs of the victorious occupiers.
This also applies to the eventual summoning of the Chamber
of Deputies. The old form of government has been suspended,
and the carrying-out of the laws of the country lies in the
power of the occupying state.
The "observation of the laws of the land" applies only in
so far as there is no insurmountable obstacle in the path of
the occupying force. This is a commendation to the effect
that the maintenance of the laws of the land, to an extent compatible
with the interests of the occupying power, that is to
say, primarily, its military interests, is to be enforced. But
where the military interests demand it, the existing laws are
automatically suspended.
This naturally applies first of all to the military laws of
Belgium, for example, the laws of recruiting would have to be
abrogated. Since recruiting for the army of the occupied
•country would be wholly incompatible with the military inter-,
ests of the victors, and recruiting for the victorious army is
expressly forbidden by Article 52.
Germany immediately took the most extensive steps to
restore the statutes and their administration in Belgium as
well as in part of Russian Poland, all in accordance with the
prescribed order of things. A complete German administration
had been created as early as August. Of course the carryingout
of the laws required the co-operation of the officials of the