The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-16
Written for the Outlook

A special war correspondent of the Outlook. Albert R. Williams. writes vivia- v of his experiences in Belgium after the war broke out and the Germans invaded that country. In the Outlook for this week he tells among his experiences the following:
 l have been with the German army on their march to Antwerp, watching them build ther pontoon briges and set fire to the Belgian villages; and have made my way through the lines to our Amer- can consul at Liege, bringing him thu first news from the outer world he has had for two weeks. This is written after travelling some 37 miles on foot. and five miles pumping along in peasants cart.
 Soon We were up on the little hill back of Mesch just as the sun was sinking, and for the first time war. in all it's ter rible spectacular splenaor, smote me hard. From the hin at my feet there stretched a great plain filled with dense mass Of soldery One could scarce be- Reve that they were soldiers. so well did their sray-green coats blend with the landscape One might believe that they were indeed a part of it could he not feel the atmosphere fairly vibrant with the mass-personality of the myriad warriors tramping down the crops of the peasants In the rear the commssariat vans and artillery still came numbering up, while in the very front danced the dreaded uhlans on their horses. looking with contempt, I imagine. the Dutch soldiers as they stood there with the warning that hero was Netherland soil. Those great hosts on the plains beneath had furnished the picture with red, luminous background made of the blazing towns of Mouland and Wise, burned to the ground by order of the Germans. The fire was set as a warning to the inhabitants round about. They were taking the warning and com ing by the thousands across the border into Limbours, their only haven of safe tv. When We drove down from the hill into Eysden we were in the midst of these peasants fleeing before the red wrath rolling up into the sky. They came shambling in with a few posses sions that they had hurriedly laid their hands on. singly or to families, pitifui procession of the disinherited. some Of the men Were moaning as they marched along, but most of them were taking # with the tragic resignation of the peas ant not understanding, stupefied rather than terrified. The women were crying out to Mary and all the saints. Indeed, all the little crosses along the waysides or in the walls were decked with flowers in gratitude for what had been spared to them. In most cases it was little more than their lives. their brood of children, and their dogs that followed on.
 Not Dangerous
 In the morning 1 climbed to the lookout on the hill. The Germans had all gone. walked over to where the great Netherlands flag proclaimed neu- tral soil. ! showed my Rass from Maas- tricht, an with one step l was over tfe border into Belgium. now under German jurisdiction. The helmeted sol diers across the way looked neither fierce nor fiery. In fact. they greeted me with d smile. I explained that l vas to go through to Liege Was it osable? They shrugged their shoul- ders. Was it dangerous? Not in the least. The Germans Were right. 1t was not dangerous-that is, for the Germans. By proclaiming the everlast ing friendship of Germany and Amer lea and passing out some chocolates l made good friends on the homo base. They charged me only not to return after sundown, giving point to their advice by relating how only the pre- Vious nigEt they had shot down in sought to come past the sentinels They told this with a genuine note of grief in their voices. So with hearty hand shake and wishes for the best of luck, they waved adieu to me as I went swinging out on the high road to Liege. X half mile, and l came for the first time actually face to face with the waste of war. There was what ono. was Mouland, the little village 1 had seen burning the night before The whitewashed stone walls Were still