Omaha daily bee., 1914-10-16


Flemmish and French ss the sanSways
are lowered. This rule has been enforced
for several days but with the greatest
effort: women cling TO their husbands
snd other male relatives, defiantly block
/ ing the sangways, All attempts to pur-
susds the refugees to drop their bundles
and hasten aboard the boats are unavail-
/ ting.
1T is all We have left was the pitiful
reply Of an aged. lnfirm woman stagger-
ms under heavy baggage
Not the same Ostend.
Ostend today IL amazingly unlike the
gay Atlantic city OF Belgium which form
erly attracted most OF the fashionable
pleasure seekers OF the world The shut
tiers are closed on the great hotels facing
the splendid bathing beach where rich
and poor alike, residents of Ostend and
refugees Of all classes from the interior
Of Belgium, are huddled together. But
there are cars which afford comparative
comfort to many of the women and chill
dren whose only food for days has been
bread and coffee provided by the commit
tees which are attempting to keep down
the hunger OF the people In spite OF tho
fact that all OF the ordinary activities
have been suspended, Now, even bread is
becoming very scarce
The relief boats to Folkestone are so
crowded and hurried that they have little
time to consider the question of meals
and frequently they are unable TO offer
even a cold lunch to the refugees crowded
into every available inch OF deckspace,
Attention shown wounded.
Marked attention Is shown the wounded
soldiers by the refugees who gather
about the filters on the docks and on
shlpboard. offering cigarettes. chocolate
and other delicacies which the almost
empty lunch baskets afford.
Many OF the soldiers speak only Flem-
mish, while their nurses know only Eng
llsh or French. and must rely on rstu-
gees who understand all three languages
to make known the wants OF the suffer
ers. Little children often bridge the Ian
guage chasm and with rare sympathy as
sist the nurses.
Belgian, English and French soldiers
alike have endured such hardships dur
ing the recent campaign that the uni
forms OF the wounded soldiers are in
tatters, This Is especially true of the Bel
CLANS, whose once bright red and blue
uniforms are now faded and in shreds-
as unkempt in appearance as their un-
shaver faces.
UnifOFms In RaGs.
MY poor Belgian boys have such dis
reputable looking uniforms when they
come to me-" Red Cross surgeon re
ma rked, that l try to get some sort of
civilian clothes for them TO tone them up.
or course we cannot get new uniforms
now. but the poor chaps are disheartened
enough by their injuries without having
to hobble about in rags"
Persons Pushed OFF Docks.
Rains last night and today intensified
the sufferings Of the crowds which wero
showed to the very edge OF the pier. where
they remained without shelter in the hope
OF catching the next boat. Several per-
sons were pushed off the docks by the
surging masses, but all were rescued by
the guards.
A dense fog last night cast further
gloom over the dlmly lighted piers lined
with refugees trying TO sleep. The fog
guns were kept firing TO warn fishing
boats off tile reefs. Every report startled
the fugitives. who were ready to believe
that the expected raid OF the Germans
had begun.
A Red Cross doctor, provided with a
motor ambulance and assisted by boy
scouts. has been working without cessa-
ton on the docks caring for the sick
and exhausted. Several children have
broken their arms by falling over the
scattered luggage.
Hysteria Among Women.
Constant calls are made for attend
ance upon women who faint through
sheer exhaustion or fright. Frequently
hysteria seizes some women and at once
spreads, especially among the older