New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-22
WAR CENTRE TURNS
TOWARD BRUSSELS
Germans, if Forced Out of
France, Are Expected to
Converge There.
By J. Banister.
.clal Correspondent New YORK THbur

Especial Correspondent New YORK 4nDune
and London Standard
Lokoeren, Sept. 21.--The German ad-
vance on Antwerp continues, but so
much of the country thereabout is
artifcally flooded and the weather is
so wet and stormy that the Germans
have tremendous obstacles to sur
mount before they can seriously at
tack the city, and they are making no
other aggressive movement in Belgium.
The dullest German brain must recog-
nize by now that the invading armies
are in jeopardy. 1t is now almost I'M
possible to get into Brussels.
The German hussars roughly search
every passenger in the tramcars COM
ing from Enghien, on the southwest.
and Ninove, on the west. A Belgian
who arrived here from Brussels to-day
with his wife, after an agitating jour
nev. tells me two women who went to
Brussels on Thursday by tramcar from
Ninoye as far as Delbek were at Del
bek stripped in the presence Of an
officer and all their clothing narrowly
examined. They evidently were al
lowed to proceed on foot into Brussels
They previously had been searched on
the tramcar by infantrymen, who telt
in their pockets. =,
On each occasion they were asked
especially if they had any French, Eng
Iish or Belgian newspapers. All out
side newspapers are forbidden, the
Journal published daily by the Gen
mans in Brussels and called Water
land" being expected to fulfil all the
needs of the citizens. But the Ger
man officers themselves are exceedingly
ager to obtain outside newspapers, es-
pecially English ones, to find out what
really is happening in the rest OF the
world
Heroic NJ. Max, Burgomaster of Brus-
sells, is in 4 very perilous position. IL
is untrue that he Joined the American
Embassy staff to claim American pro-
lection. This is ridiculous, as they can
only protect him by moral support at
the American Embassy. His friends
fear that men like those who destroyed
Rheims and Louvain will have no
mercy on Brussels if forced TO quit it,
and that the brave Burgomaster will
share the fate of the chief magistrates
of so many lesser towns.
The great elevated plateau en- which
the famous Palais de Justice is stu
ated has become a yeritable fortress.
| am told, and the Germans are con-
structing emplacements for guns, pre-
sumably intended TO terrorize and de.
stroy rather than for defensive opera
tions, in an attempt to hold Brussels
against tho Allies. 1t is certain that
if Germans have to quit Belgium and
renounce their idea of the prompt re-
duction of Antwerp they will not re-
linquish Brussels without some kind of
a struggle. At the moment few Ger
man troops are in Brussels--a about
10000 altogether-but probably 100000
are within thirty miles of the city, and
if all the rest Of the German plan of
campaign fails they will hold to Brus-
sells.
Although il was unarmed when they
entered it, already they regard it as a
German city. If they have to leave it
they will turn it into smoking char
mel house. No vehicles whatever are
allowed to enter or leave Brussels.
Ii the Germans are forced out OF
France, the country around Brussels
will again become the chief area of in
terest in the war. | am convinced that
the Germans are expecting to return
toward Brussels and are taking meas
ures accordingly.