New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-22
GERMAN SPENDERS ARE
MAKING BRUSSELS GAY
Belgian Capital Under German Rule, Surface Lveest
City in Europe-Rea Spirit of Vengeance
Revealed in Obscure Cafes.

? ton are brought home to the people
perhaps most at the Care du Nord and
at the Place de la Care, where the
/ civic guards in their curious comic
opera caps are reinforced by German
gendarmes, with rifles slung over their
shoulders. Civilians are not allowed
/ 20 cross this square in front of the
railway station. Keep TO the side
walk" is the brusque order to those
who stray
Also the park in front of the Royal
Palace is closed TO the public. Three
bright red gasolene tank wagons
among the trees give IL an incongruous
touch, while the walks and drives are
used as an exercising ground for Of
icers' mounts. All the windows OF the
Royal Palace are decorated with the
sign Of the Red Cross.
Brussels just now is humorously a
victim of the double standard; not
moral, but financial. All kinds of
money go here, on the basis of / mark
shopkeepers still fix prices and waters
bring bills in francs, and when pay
ment is rendered in marks you gen
orally get change in both, proceeding
that involves elaborate mathematical
computations.
At the next table TO you in the res
taurant of the Palace Hotel, once
/ favorlte stopping place for Anglo
American travellers, but now virtually
an exclusive German officers club. with
the distinction of double guard post
ed at the front door, sits a short.
fercely mustached general Of some
sort-evidently a person of great i'm
portance from the commotion his en-
try caused among all the other officers
in the room. In his buttonhole he
wears the Iron Cross of the second
class, the Iron Cross of the first class
pinned to his breast and underneath
the rare pour lie merite order, with
swords"
General Shows Caution.
His bill amounts to about 7 francs
table d'h6te, plus full bottle of red
Burgundy. He tenders a blue 100
mark bill in payment and gets in re-
turn a battling heap of change, includ-
ing one and two franc Belgium paper
notes, five and ten mark German bills,
Belgian and German silver, and Bel
gisn nickel coins with holes punched in
the centres. The general takes out his
pencil and begins elaborate calcula-
tions on the menu, then sends for the
head waiter. 1t takes some time and
much talk 10 convince him that he is
not being short changed" The dou-
bic standard furnishes many OF these
humorous interludes.
Equally eXasperating is the double !
time standard. The Germans set their
official clocks and watches by Berlin
time, but have made no attempt TO
force it on the natives, who continue
loyal to Belgian time, which is one
hour behind Berlin.
Brand Whitlock, the American Min
lister TO Belgium, who runs q strong
risk Of having a statue erected to him
some day by the grateful Belgian peo-
pie, il the "happiest. most relieved
looking person in Brussels since he
heard the good news that all Americans
were hard at work collecting food for
the Belgians and that England would
not prevent its delivery"
Soon after the German occupation of
Brussels committee was organized to
give food 10 the poor here, OF which
Mr.. Whitlock and the Spanish Minister
were patrons. Three weeks ago the
ministerial allies discovered that the
situation was exceedingly grave. not
only here but all over Belgium. Com
mittees came 10 see MIR. Whitlock from
LOuyain, Liege, Namur, Charleroi, Mons
and Dinant, and the people, il was told, |
were within four weeks of absolute !
starvation. Mr.. Whitloek got the Ger !
man Minister and the Governor of Bel |
GUM. Field Marshal Won der Goltz. TO 4
give the Spanish Minister and himself |
"a guarantee in writing that any food /
sent in for the poor of Belgium would /
not be requisitioned for the German |
army.
Eight Ministers in One.
The next thing was 20 get the per- /
mission of England; so two weeks ago
Secretary Gibson was sent 70 London /
with Baron Lambert, a banker, and ". !
Franqui, to get England's permission |
as we'll as a first shipment of food. |
Two weeks ago Mr. Whitlock sent a
long letter to the State Department
and TO President Wilson 10 do some
thing.
At least one phase of Mr.. Whitlocks ,
courage has been going the rounds 1
here. in the various preliminary dis |
cussions as 20 whose responsibility il |
was 10 take care of the Belgian peo- !
pie there was considerable talk about |
the Hague conventions. Starving peo- !
pie can't eat Hague conventions was
his answer.
Mr.. Whtock also feels vastly re-
lieved that he has got practically all |
non-ofiicial Americans out OF Belgium,
tho tnoscora etill hare hain0 NASTY !