South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-08-22
ACTUAL FIGHTING in EUROPE
I low 1t Looks to An American

| These wagons were filled with valu-
able records ready to fly north to the
capital or Antwerp on an instants
notice.
While waiting for my passport to be
examined before proceeding TO Tirle-
mont. / noticed a black speck in the
sky. 1t slowly grew into a giant aero
plane. There was a general rush into
the streets and cries:
"Cest un aeroplane allemand." ut
| is a German aeroplane.)
Then followed a subdued hush as
the winged cruiser hung over the city
hall. But the expected bomb did not
fall, and soon checker games were
resumed and milliners came back to
the doorways smiling, but still doubt
full smiles, and with many pretty,
anxious peek upward.
The cafes alone were doing business
| in Louvain. They were crowded and
cries I'm grand book" Ga big beer) !.
| filled the air and the fumes of liquor
! hung heavily.
| Everywhere the less seriously
wounded Belgian soldiers lay, await
| ing aid.
The train for Tirlemont. filed with
! these soldiers. was held five minutes
while a body of boy scouts passed the
water to them.
Scouts serve Wounded Soldiers.
The boy scouts (Belgian prOnuncia-
ton "scots'') range from one end OF
| the train to the other, for every
wounded soldier wants all the water
| he can get. At the front they got only
! two drinks daily.
At the front, from Tirlemont on, 7
realized I was truly in the heart of the
most embattled country the world has
| seen.
| Devastation is on every hand.
! Most Of this devastation is Belgium
was carefully prepared by the Bel
| gians themselves. This country is all
/, fat, and each wood where the Ger
mans might take refuge in future
| charges was cut down. | saw soldiers
might serve the Germans as bUlwarks.
/ 1t was sickening tC see the beautiful
! golden grain, all ready for the reaper,
! going down before the flames.
Deep trenches. filed with boughs
and covered lightly with dirt, were be-
! ing prepared as traps
Autos Stained With Blood.
| Bridges were being undermined to
! fall when the weight of the German
| troops came upon them.
The roads here swarmed with COM
Wandered automobiles. I saw satin
lined limousines, stained with blood,
as often as little Fords.
fresh soldiers rushing 20 the front or
Of wounded being brought back, each
! always guarded by carbineers standing
There were scores upon scores OF
] captured German Uhlans IN evidence
at this point and they always seemed
very gay, unless badly wounded. Their
tents, matched with straw. are every
| where.
The fields every which way I look
are one series Of trenches thrown UP
as defenses against the enemy. Trees
/ are thrown across roads, and barb
wire entanglements reach across the
land for miles.
One whole stretch of enchanted
wood is filled with horrible traps and
barbs that will strike back TeutoniC
invasion.
But the most noticeable thing is the
gaiety. The Belgian troops have the
I perfect confidence in their proves
All sorts Of messages are chalked or
trains and houses. The favorite one
is "A Berlin" meaning ION TO Berlin
An equally popular message. be-
cause il IS chalked everywhere. IS:
The kaiser has modified God, but
he can't make Him march,"
From Landen 10 Waremme the trair
scarcely moved. and here we found
that the German outposts were only
half hour ahead OF Us. Indeed
they had once taken the town o.
Waremme. but lost it back TO Belgium
Cook Every Meal To- Music OF Cannon
The peasants were again in THEN
homes peacefully cooking the eveninl
J meal as though a deafenng connonad,
were a common thing So I tool
heart myself and went into the caf,
Lion Dor for supper.
There I met the burgomaster o1
, Liege, himself on parole fro mthe Ger
mans. / tried 20 draw him into con.
, versatiOn. but he was too sad.
!. 81 cannot speak" he said, 1T is toe