Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-24
From the De, M.lnes Register and Lender.


incongruous touch. while the walks
and drives are used as an exercisinr
ground for officers mounts. All tho
windows OF the Royal Palace are deco
ra,ed with the sign OF tho Red Cross.
Brussels just now la humorousiy u
victim Of the double standard-not
moral but financial. All kinds OF
money go here on the basis of mark
equallng franc rs centimes. but shop
Keepers still nx prices and walters
bring bills ID francs. and when pay
ment is rendered In marks you gem
rally get change In both--a proceed
ing that involves elaborate math, matt
cal computations. AT the next table to
you In the restaurant OF the Palace Ho-
tel once a favorite stopping place for
Anglo American travellers. but now vir-
tually am exclusive German officers
club, with the distinction OF a double
guard posted at the front door. sits {.
short. hcrcely muBtached general OF
some sort--evidently a person OF great
Importance from the commotion his en-
try caused among all the other officers
in the room In his buttonhole nc
wears the Iron Cross of the second
class, the Iron Cross OF the first class
pinned TO his breast. and underneath
the rare Pour L. Mcrite Order. With
Swords" His bill amounts TO. nbou
I francs, for he consumed the regil1.
4-franc table dhote. plus a full bott!c
of red Burgundy. He tenders blue
iop-mark bin In pnym, nj and gets IN
retnrn battling heap OF change, i:.-
Guiding ] and 2-franc Belgium paper
notes, and l0mnik German bills,
u, lgian and German silver, and Belgian
nickel coins with holes punched In the
cent 'es. The general takes out his
pencil and begins elaborate calculations
on the m.nu-thcn sends for the head
waiter. II takes some time and much
talk to convince him that he is not
being short changed" The double
standard furnishes many OF these
humorous interludes.
Equally eSasperat.ng Is the double
time standard. The Germans set their
official clocks and watches by Berlin
/. time, but have made no attempt to
force II on the natives. who continue
loyal TO Belgian time. which is ono
hour behind Berlin.
Whitiork's Work for Beiriaus.
Brand Whitlock. the American min
ister to Belgium. who runs a strong
risk OF having statue erected to him
some day by the grateful Belgian poo
pie. is quite the happlest. mort relieved
looking person In Brussels since he
heard the good news that all America
was hard al work collecting food for
the BclGiane. and that England would
not prevent Its delivery. Soon after
the German occupation OF Brussels a
committee was organized to give food
TO the poor here. of which Mr.. Whit
lock and the Spanish minister were
patrons. Three weeks ago the minis-
terial allies discovered that the situ-
alton was exceedingly grave. NOT only
here. but ali over Belgium. Commit
tees came to see Mr.. Whitlock from
Louvain. Liege, Namur. Charleroi. Mons,
z Dinant. etc. and the people. was told.
were within four weeks OF absolute
starvation Mr. Whitlock got the Ger
I man military governor of Belgium,
Field Marshal Won der Goltz. to give
the Spanish minister and himself :.
guarantee in writing that any food sent
| In for the poor Beigians would not be
requ.sitioncd for the German army.
The next thing was to get the pee
mission OF England: so two weeks ago
Secretary Gibson was sent to London
with Baron Lambert. banker. ana
NJ Tranquil to get Englands permits
son. as well as a first shipment, oG
food. Two weeks ago Mr.. Whltlock
sent long letter to the State Depart
ment and to President Wilson asking
them to do something. Al least one
phrase Of Mr. Whitiock's coinage has
been going the rounds here. In tin
various preliminary discussions as ta
whose responsibility It was to tax
care of the Belgian people there wpr
considerable talk about Hague gone
ven,ions. Starving people can't ,us
Hague conventions" was his answo:
! Minister Whitlock also feels vast.
TciSVco lndt ne mas got prdCtlC;lii.
all nonofRcial Americans out OF Be
GUM. the twoscore still here ben:
mostly resident business men. with {.
spripkling of the boldest tourists, wio
are staying ito see the fun" in spite
of ministerial warnings.
Mr.. Whitlock believes he has broken
the worlds record by being eight min
listers at once. At one time he was
presenting Germany, Austria, Great
Britain, Japan, Scrvia,> Denmark and
Lichtenstein. When he told a Ger
man officer that he represented Lich-
tenstein.whch Is said to be small
sovereign state somewhere, dependent
on Austria. the officer laughed and
said:' Theoretically. Germany Is still
at war with Lichtenstein. and has been
since 1866, 1t having been overlooked
In the peace shuiIle." The reason for
! representing Denmark, which Isn't at
war with anybody, IL that tho Danish
/ minister Is equally accredited to Bel
GUM and The Hague, and had no sec
rotary to leave behind when ne depart
, cd Hagueward. OF course, the Amer
lean flag does not fly over the Danish
! legation here. In addition, the French
and Russian interests we're also Of
fered Mr.. Whitlock. but he was 80 full
OF responsibility that he had to ask TO
4, be excused <~F.lA. h.. II n ~.