New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-13
Few Shopkeepers Open
Do Big Business with
Troops and Visitors.
UNIVERSITY NOW
SOLDIERS BARRACKS
Germans Treat Local Population
Nndly-New Board Roof Put
on Battered Cathedral.
lBy Cahle % The Trihiine l

London, Nov. IA newspaper cor
respondent in Belgium writes from
Louvain the following:
Louvain now presents the CHASTITY
spectacle Of dead city, buried under
ruins, slowly coming to life again, and
continues to give full scope TO the
morbid streak in human nature. For
sightseers continue to flock here in
increasing numbers from Antwerp,
brussels, and, in fact, all over Bel
gum, except from over the dead line
OF the operations zone. With the
people Of Brussels especially it is a
favorlte outing on a pleasant Sunday.
The Germans have succeeded in re-
storing the train service to the extent
OF two passenger trains daily between
here and Brussels and one between
here and Antwerp. The German mill
tary authorities pursue a surprisingly
lenient and liberal policy in giving
travelling passes TO the Belgian popu-
lation. In addition to those who come
by train, a steady procession of auto
mobiles passes through all day, and
next week, when the Berlin-B russels
express is TO be started, the Local
tourists season will have further
boom. About per cent of the Off
cial population have come back, and
the three companies of landsturm
garrisons here, together with the
sightseers, form their source of reve-
nue..
Shopkeepers Coin Money.
"The more courageous shopkeepers
who have come back and opened stores
are coming money as never in peace
times, especially the little confection-
cry and pastry shops, where the sol
diers off duty come for afternoon COT
fee, and the one tailor's shop that is
open.
"Workmen are putting finishing
touches 20 the new pine board roof on
the cathedral and are making efforts
10 restore the stone exterior. The
famous Gothic town hall is now pro-
tected by a high board fence. and two
bearded landsturm men mount guard
day and night. A gang OF laborers Is
making Roadway in cleaning up the
interior of the hopelessly ruined uni
versity library, and the streets are all
cleared of debris. The halls Of the
main university building, which suf-
fered little damage. are not silent, for
one Of the landsturm companies IS
CHARTERED there.
Recently the writer found half a
hundred of these new students and
two COWS in the university quadrangle.
The men were unshaven, but good ma
tured, and many were the rough Ger
man Jokes they cracked as they
watched a comrade milking the COWS
preparatory TO their being slaughtere"
on the spot by the company butchers
who stood in waiting. At the same
time the gray haired university Gus
todan was getting ready to take time
exposure of the cows, calling out IN
French from behind a big Anticipated
camera mounted on shaky tripod,
Hold still and look pleasant
"Aud yet they say we Germans are
barbarians,' laughed an under officer
III bet you won't find that the French
soldiers or highly civilized English
gentlemen either, have a photographer
come to take a picture of the cows
they are about to eat
University Now Barracks.
"The venerable university guardian
continued to do good business, making
group pictures and solo portraits OF
landsturm under officers, sergeants
and men at francs a dozen postcards,
until a lieutenant appeared on the
scene and the bugle sounded in the
court for boot inspection. All hands
promptly lined up in double file against
the brick wall and presented their feet
for the critical eye of the inspector.
"The last of the former students OF
the University of Louvain was prob
ably well-dressed, meek-looking,
young Chlnaman. eating lunch at a
nearby restaurant, the only one open
in town. The German soldiers fortu'
nately had not mistaken him for =
Japanese. The inhabt9nts who have
no stores to keep seem TO be continu-
ally wandering aimlessly in the streets;
Here, too, is a sight, common now all
ever Belgium, Of many women with
children begging. Especially they
linger around the entrances to the bar
racks, for hunger gives them keen
nose for bread, and they soon learned
that the soldiers will give them what
they have left over from their ample
rations The German government Is
trying 20 stimulate the return of the
population. and apparently is doing its
best 70 help them TO earn living by
providing work"