March 2--Gen. von Bissing, German Governor General, says the tax
recently ordered imposed on Belgians who do not return to their homes
was suggested by Belgians themselves.
March 8--Belgian Press Bureau announces that King Albert now has an army
of 140,000 men, a larger force than that which began the war.
March 9--As a result of new royal decrees calling refugee youths to the
colors the number of recruits is increasing daily; a few days ago King
Albert presented a number of recruits to two veteran regiments in a
speech; Belgian officials are arrested by Germans on charge that they
induced Belgian customs officials to go through Holland to join Belgian
Army.
March 17--Government issues protest against the German allegation that
documents found in Brussels show that Belgium and England had a secret
understanding before the war of such a nature as to constitute a
violation of Belgium's neutrality; the Government declares that
conversations which took place between Belgian and British military
officers in 1906 and 1912 had reference only to the situation that would
be created if Belgium's neutrality had already been violated by a third
party; it is declared that the documents found by Germans, "provided no
part of them is either garbled or suppressed," will prove the innocent
nature of negotiations between Belgium and England.
March 18--Firm of Henri Leten is fined $5,000 for violating order of
German Governor General prohibiting payments to creditors in England.
March 20--One million pigs owned by Germans are billeted on the civilian
population of Belgium, the Belgians being required to feed and care for
the animals.
March 21--Germans are relaxing iron regulations to some extent in
attempt to get the normal life of Belgium moving again.
March 23--Seventeen Belgian men are shot in Ghent barracks after having
been found guilty by German court-martial of espionage in the interests
of the Allies.
March 28--Belgian Legation at Washington issues official response to
statement made by Herr von Jagow, the Imperial German Secretary of
State, that "Belgium was dragged into the war by England"; response says
that it was Germany, not England, that drew the nation into war.