The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-21
Germans Seek But Slightest
Excuse to Destroy Brussels: Life
In City Intolerable, Says Write

or wheat and potato meal. nike
the ambassador obtained from Elo1<
Marshal Won der Goltx. permission
send emissaries into Holland for foo
supplies. But the Hollanders. tnx1
with million Belgian refugees. ~
fused to export food.
Brussels Is continually ON fhn
verge OF q reign OF terror. rhro
months ago all arms were commnn-'
deered; men found In possession n
a fire arm are instantly shot. AN
night the streets are kent dark anf'
citixens are warned to keep Within
doors. Sentries guard the street corH
ners clearing the way for military
motors with lifted rifles. Maxiil
guns with crews lying beside tdo1l'
hold every square. Hussars billet61I
beyond the barriers. plumber the c1n.|
Duros. soldiers practice shooting I7
public daily.
The burgomaster and three lead y
ing citizens are held as hostage
their lives being forfeited II q sine1o
civilian lift hand against the fnvs<
der. All youths OF an age to joln
corps or to be useful to the Ger
mans are held as prisoners OF war
on parole and the fathers who allow
grown sons to leave the city are pun
ished with death.
Brussels deserves no Considers
ton whatever" declared Field Mar
shall Won der Goltz, the German gov
ernor OF Belgium, In a proclamation
the resistance of the Belgian army
to the Landstrum. merits severe re-.
prisal. II the slightest hostile act
Is committed by citizens we will
burn the city to the ground MARI!
that we'll"
Should the war tide return to Hal.
GUM. the Germans be forced e.
evacuate Brussels. then the fate az.
the city Is sealed! Z, 3
open, unfortified. or no military i'm
portance. its 100000 citizens help
less prisoners OF war Guns are en-
trenched on the Royal Park, the
trees around the Castle OF Ternath
have been felled to brace fortifca-
lions: 500 infantry protect the gem
eral stan.
The colossal .Palias. de Justice on
its elevated plateau looks like 4 fort
ress, with machine guns placed 10
sweep the principal streets and win.
dows blocked by sand bars. The
Care du Midi and the Care du Nord
(railway stations) are now cavalry
barracks, the Bourse and the Cen
eraI Post Occife infantry casernes
with filled kitchens established IN
their courts. the palace OF the king
has clothes lines strung across tn
courtyard and cooking cauldronn
ranged along its facade.
Every public building except tina
18th cathedral OF Ste. Gudule and
the historic town hall has been
mined to facilitate their speedy de-
struction. have been informed BY
reliable friend who remains In
Brussels for humanity's sake.
Anything may happen. The ten
sion grows daily worse. The bravest
hearts are cold with apprehension.
Every sign indicates that Brussels -
falling. The army OF occupation de-
clare quite frankly that the city viii
be defended from the ailies at any
cost. that they are prepared to burn
Brussels "if necessary"
The slightest emergency will sarve'
TO IRE the city. II would be an eaay'
matter for brigade OF fncendiar3oo'
to set Brussels ablaxe In an hour!.
Already bearers or heavy tubes %
petrol have sprayed in6ammabIe1
LIQUID on doomed buildings.
60 certain are the citizens that
the fatal day approaches. that they
have secretly cut on the gas supply.
blocked cellar Windows with sachn
OF earth. filled long abandoned wells
against the destruction OF the water
works. The military governor order
ed all IRE apparatus TO concentrate IN
the heart Of the city and narrendor
To the garrison, A hundred IRE onp-|
tains refused to obey. They wero
speedily placed under arrest oo1|
their places taken by the I.andetrU1
who discovered that the Ore ca
had taken the precautton % ro1
their heavy engines immovo1lo
Today. the invested e6uI<o} -
|tirely unprotected oeaIn1>
Should the retr>o<1n4 0o<11I
enter the city end ~ oIIIr1 ~