I reached the private conclusion that, because of the chorus of protest that arose from all the neutral countries, and particularly from the United States, against the severities visited on Belgium in August and September, the word went forth to the German forces in the field that the scheme of punishment for offenders who violated the field code should be somewhat softened and relaxed.

However, that is merely a personal theory.

I may be absolutely wrong about it.

The German general who interpreted the meaning of the situation may have been absolutely right about it.
Certainly the physical testimony was on his side.
Also, it seemed to me, the psychology of the people--particularly of the womenfolk--in northern France was not that of their neighboors over the frontier.

In a trade way the small shopkeepers here faced ruin; the Belgians already had been ruined.