The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-14
DISTRIBUTING
THE FIRST RELIEF
Graphic Description of the
Horrors Of Modern
War


assisted in the distribution of the first
cargo of relief supplies sent to the Bel
gians, has given the Associated Press a
description of conditions in the stricken
country.
Nothing that has been written could
exaggerate the misery of Belgium" Mr..
Bell said. "We drove for miles through
graveyards. Stakes, on some OF which
we're soldiers tattered coats and he'll
NETS, were the tombstones-dese
fields are cemeteries. As we entered the
villages women and children sought
refuge in the ruins of roohess homes,
terrified lest we were some new vista
ton of war. Their faces were drawn
and lined. and if you could only see the
surroundings in which they are strug-
Cling for existence you would not won
der that they fail to smile.
"The Belgian peasant has in many dis
tricts no home in which to sleep, no
seed to SOW, no implements with which
to work, no transport to reach mar
ket, and, finally, no heart to struggle
against the impossible. 1t is unbeliev-
able that war ever produced such a com
plete and tragic paralysis as we saw
in many parts of Belgium. 1t cannot
be attributed to lack of courage on the
part of the civilian population or to the
inhumanity of the conqueror. 1t is
simply war up to date; civilized, Chris
tian war.
THE American relief steamer Cob
LEM, carrying more than 900 tons of
foodstuifs, arriv at Rotterdam from
London at 3 o'clock Sunday morning
The Dutch government with great kind
ness made an exception to the rigid rule
against working on Sunday. The labor
unions made equal concessions, with the
result that on Monday morning eight
barges towed by four express tugs left
Rotterdam en- route for Brussels with re-
lief supplies. On each barge was a large
printed notice certifying that the cargo
had been sent by the American commits
sion in care of the American minister to
Belgium On the door of the captains
cabin in each barge was a copy of Gen
ersl Won der Goltz's proclamation in
structing all German officials to give |
safe conduct and assistance to the Amer |
lean relief cargo. General Won der Goltz |
Is German military governor of Belgium |
"The crews of the barges and tugs f
were Dutch and each man carried with 1
no little pride an order for safe conduct /
from the German authorities, permit /
ting him to 90 TO Brussels and return
to Holland.
Accompanied by NJ. NJ. Langhorne,
secretary of the American legation at
and Mr.. Wyman, an American
in an automobile. | followed
This odd flotilla of mercy as il threaded
Is way from canal TO canal and from
ock TO lock. At Hanswert. a town on
he Belgium Dutch frontier, ! antieipat-
ID some difficulties as TO this first CON
'ignment of relief. on the contrary.
he German officials were fully informed
md there was no delay whatever. From
hence 10 Brussels the German arrange
nents for getting our cargo through ex-
were perfect. The sealed
'atches of the barges were never opened
y touched on all the way TO Antwerp,
ialines and Brussels.
The country people came running 10
be banks OF the canals. where they
tared al our hotiIla as II il were
mirage. For a week not a single barge /,
ad passed. where formerly there were
thousand hourly. To the Belgian coun-
~ folk i was at first just a God sent
ream 20 remind them Of the peaceful
avs preceding the nightmare Of war. !.
When they found that there were real
argos bearing food, their great thank
illness found ready expression.
''on Wednesday morning. Just one
eek after the ship left London. We
rove mp IN front Of the American lega 7
on at Brussels and told Brand Whit-
TX, the American minister 10 Belgium.
at the relief bargps were safely moored
J Peeket u the main canal A few q
.inutes later Mr.. Whitlock's automo y
De brought the Marquis de NHlslobar. q
ie Spanish minister. and the heads 81 ].
b. Belgian relief committee The mar q
lis was al enthusiasm He rrasued y
" hand. exclsimiug What splendid y
VS. You Americans ere wonderful .
ben yuu take n thing IN hand vou e.
rtainiy a. j and 30 i quicklv. q
here was no need for the news. o
.pers - spread TIE report Of our ar y
taL u ane hour 30 brussels knew Z
p rei1ied Many people had feared q
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leium anH tlst Do w. dis We would :
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