Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-11-11
HAvRE IS
NOT MUCH
CHANGED
WAR CAPITAL OF BELGIUM
IS FAR FROM DESERT
ED CITY. .
MANY BRITISH there nov
Hotels, Stores, and Houses Used
For Military Headquarters
MANY BRITISH there NOV

Hotels, Stores, and Houses Used
For Military Headquarters
Havre, Nov. 1O.-Havfe, the war
capital of the Belgium, looks little
different from the Havre of other
days. The reason is the Belgians
have taken over summer resort sub
urb known as Nice-Havrais and turn
ed its hotels, club houses and casinos
into government offices, not neglect
ing private dwellings and large but
half empty department store. Auto
mobiles flying the Belgian colors race
along the boulevards, but if the city
has taken on any foreign tinge, it is
rather British, for British soldiers and
motor vans may be seen everywhere.
The main offices of the Belgian
government are divided between the
HOtelle Rie, a large tea and club house
on a point overlooking the sea at the
further end of Nice -Havrais, and the
department store over on the Havre
side. The higher government Off
cials have taken houses nearby, while
the lesser stay in the city hotels,
Relief headquarters are maintained
for the Belgian refugees in the city
hall of Havre. There, bread tickets
and old clothes are distributed and
work is found for those able to work.
Mechanics of all classes, particularly
those with telegraph, railway or foun-
dry experience, are engaged on every
hand, since they are badly needed in
France, where all available men have
been called for the front. Except for
the dock workers, every one able TO
serve at the front has been called out
o. Hayre. Women conductors are
not unusual on the street cars and al
most all o. the small shops are run
by women.
Although it's streets are filled with
traffic, there is little OF the gay life
remaining in Hayre. 'Frequenters of
the cafes are few, and mostly soldiers,
the cafes themselves close at $500
O'Clock In the evening and the res
taurants at 1000 From then until
morning Havre is dry town. There
is no longer music in the cafes. The
theaters, even the moving picture
houses, are closed down, for people
have no heart for amusements. How.
ever, the streets have not been dark
ened. ;.
Prices of food and other supplies
have not been affected by the war.
The first shops attempting to raise
prices were destroyed by mobs, which
caused the others to hang out signs
saying the old rate remained. The
government then fixed the maximum
rates of all commodities. Food, es-
pecially fish and fruit, is rather cheap.
er than before the war.
The British have turned a number
of hotels and other buildings into hos.
pitals and their ship lies in the Havre
docks. They also use these ports as
a supply base and great motor vans,
bearing the names of British firms,
depart constantly for points known
only to the army.
An exchange of German money for
French has been arranged by John
Ball Osborne, the American consul
for the German prisoners detained at
Havre in Jail and hospitals. This
enables them to buy tobacco and 9TH
er luxuries not supplied by the
French.
Only the wounded Germans are
kept here The prisoners of war TAX
en- by The British are sent across the
channel almost as fast as they arrive.
But the wounded are placed in hospi-
tails under guard. In case Of deaths,
of which there have been fifteen out
of the $50 in the hospitals, the names
are sent to the American embassy at
Paris. They are communicated to|
the war office at Berlin through the
American embassy.
or the captured officers and men
consul Osborne has talked with, none
had any complaints. Their treatment,
they said, was the same as the French
and British wounded received. In the
jails, the men are kept in separate
cells at night, but allowed to mingle
together in the yard during the day.
Although rather down cast in appear
ance, owing to their positions as pris-
oners, they are extremely docile and
give the authorities no trouble.
The arrival of captured German sol.
diers is a not uncommon sight. In
no case has there been any demons
tration by the people. The prisoners
receive the same rations as the Brit
isn soldiers and seem to be well treat
ed.