The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-10-27
J, 100000
lace anime
IL B: el GUM.
SOME CITIES HAVE FOOD FOE
fTW0SWEEKS. OTHERS ONLY 2
FOR FOUR DAYS. 81

Two WEEKS. OTHERS ONLY
FOR FOUR DAYS.
BRUSSELS, Oct. 27,it BY Way Of
EiLondon) Nearly 1000 1900 people
| in Belgium face famine unless they
receive. help from the outside at once.
!. The American Ininjster to Bel
GUM, Brand Whitlock,. says that less
than two weeks supply OF food re-
mains in the cities. while conditions
lin the country districts IS even worse.
Though. Germany has seized the food
in some cities for her soldiers, she
tstill disclaims responsibility for feed.
ling the Belgians.
Mr. Whitlock has had on hand
only peasants, black bread for two
weeks and the. supply of that is short.
one hundred soup Kitchens are feed
1 ing over 100000 Of the needy in
brussels. Families formerly rich ara
'discharging, their servants because
they are bankrupt. Noblemen may
be seen slipping into the soup kit
chens.
The factories are closed. Many
stores remain open. The street cars
are being operated, but the railway
train service has been suspended.
The supplies of coffee, tea, flour. rye.
and salt are practically exhausted.
All Cities Affected.
|. Reports received by Minister Whit
flock from Louvain, Liege and Namur
say that the, conditions in those cit
lies are even worse than they are in
IsBrussels. Louyain has only a four
Edaysf supply of -four while Hege has
4 mo. -four at all. The peasants in
I;plany districts have been forced to
Eexist on legumes, as the crops OF
lbeets and cabbages lave been ruined.
u The meat and silk supplies also
Ehaye been cut on. the army having
taken the cattle, IT,.
\ 1t is declared absolutely essential
that food be obtained from England,
and it is hoped that the first ship
Fluent is now on the water.
! Nearly half OF those people who
Evil be able to remain in Belgium
fare wandering helplessly from town
10 town. seeking shelter with friends
| and relatives, Malines,,. which for
.nlerly had. 10000 Inhabitants, has
tbut few unchanged houses standing.
1.-THE same situation exists at Namur
Rand Louvain.
i Homeless Block Roads.
The road from Antwerp to Brus-
sells is black with processionstof peo-
Iple moving ineither direction. Wag-
,ons and carts are filled with the
;wreckage Of their household effects.
Thousands on foot are carrying bum
dies or pushing dog carts, always
moving, but with not definite desti-
Iination.
Other crowds are gathered about
the ruins of forts and rifle pits, star
ing blankly at mines that, are cover
ed with withered flowers and sur
mounted with wooden crosses upon
which the helmets of dead Germans
have been placed to mark their
graves. 4
| Belgians of all classes appear dis
heartened. Old women and cripples
| may be seen sitting near their shat
tered homes in Malines nodding
mutely at the cathedral with its
|.shattered windows and lettering
walls damaged beyond repair by
shell fire.
Similar COM itions are found in
1.-THE small villages between Antwerp
and Brussels. Few stores are open.
Those attempting to re-establish
I'their homes find their roofs, which
lhaye been pierced by shells. no pro-
1 lection from the rain that is now
falling every day. The villages that
1stood near contested forts were liter
i ally RACED, yet many OF the inhabi-
tants remain living in. rudcly con-
structed sheds or tents.
4 .u,f5ii, Many Are Punished.
\ In Brussels the sides of buildings
and billboards are plastered with.
tGerman military notices printed in
Frenchz German and Flemish. The
streets are filled with German soldie. s
and marines. The automobiles of the
officers carrying buglers to warn Pc
destrians! are dashng in all direc-
tions. The city is quiet. All the
ishops and houses are closed at 9
O'Clock at night. though the build
,Iings are brightly lighted
I! BY. an official order there. have
I,been posted throughout the country
1.-THE names of Bclgians and Britishers
who have been sentenced form a
month to one years imprisonment
for insults offered to German soldiers.
4 Others are warned to obey the mill
tary orders and also advised that the
i Germans have no intention OF seiz-
ling -combatants. The Germans
are paying for everything obtained
In stores. the German commandant1
hayfng requested that he be furnish Y
ed with the names of any soldiers
\ who commandeered bicycles and food.
II pN4i} ;ES-s' -. rs st{tEl 4f, " IA
s,s An October Dainty. a