Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-10-27
100000
bFLC|ANS IN
NEED OF FOOD
Less Than Two Weeks Supply Re-
mains in Cities and Country
Is Worse Off.
THE WEALTHY ARE BANKRUPT
Noblemen May Be Seen in SOUP
Kitchens Which Feed 100000
in Brussels.

Brussels (via London), Oct. a.
Nearly 100000 people in Belgium
face famine unless they receive help
from the outside at once.
The American minister to Bel
GUM, Brand Whitlock, says that
less than two weeks supply of food
remains in the cities while condi-
tions in the country districts are
worse Though Germany has seized
the food in some cities for her
soldiers, she still disclaims respon-
sibility for feeding 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 feeding more than 100000 of
the needy in Brussels. Families for
merly rich are bankrupt. Noblemen
may be seen in the soup kitchens.
Factories are closed. Stores have
no business. Street cars are being
operated but the railway train serv-
ice has been suspended. Supplies
of coffee, tea, flour, rye and salt are
practically exhausted.
Reports received by Minister
Whitlock from Louvain, Liege and
NamUr say that the conditions in
those cities are even worse than
they are in Brussels. Louvain has
only four days supply of flour,
while Liege has no -four at all. The
peasants in many districts have been
forced to exist on legumes, as the
crops of beets and cabbages have
been ruined.
Meat and milk supplies also have
been cut off, the army having TAX
en- the cattle.
Nearly half of those who have
been able to remain in Belgium are
wandering helplessly from town to
town seeking shelter with friends
and relatives. Malines, which for
merly had 10000 inhabitants, has
but few unchanged houses. The
same situation exists at Namur and
Louvain.
The road from Antwerp to Brus-
sells is black with professions of peo-
Die moving in either direction.
Wagons and carts are filled with
the wreckage of household effects.
Thousands on foot are carrying bum
dies or pushing dog carts with no
definite destination. Others are
gathered about the ruins of forts
and rife pits, staring blankly at
mounds that are covered with with
cred flowers and surmounted by
wooden crosses upon which the he'll
NETS of dead Germans have been
placed to mark their graves.
Belgians of all classes appear dis
heartened. Old women and Grip
pies may be seen sitting near their
shattered homes in Malines, nod
ding mutely at the cathedral, with
its shattered windows and tottering
walls, damaged beyond repair by
shell fire.
Similar conditions are found in
the small villages between Antwerp
and Brussels. Few stores are OPEN
Those attempting to reestablish
their homes find their roofs, which
have been pierced by shells, no pro-
lection from the rain that is now
falling every day. The villages that
stood near contested forts were lit
orally razed, yet many of the inhab-
itants remain, living in rudely con-
structed sheds or tents.
In Brussels the sides of buildings
and billboards are plastered with
German military notices printed in
French. German and Flemish. The
streets are filled with German SOL
diers and marines. The automobiles
of the officers carrying buglers to
warn pedestrians, are dashing in all
directions. The city is quiet. All
the shops and houses are closed at 9
O'Clock at night though the build
ings are brightly lighted.
Real Estate Transfers.