The Calumet news., 1914-09-16
TELLS VIVID STORY OF THE
WASTE OF WAR IN BELGIUM

New York, Sept IA special war;
correspondent of the Outlook, Albert
r. Williams, writes yividly of his ex-
periences in Belgium after the war
broke out and the Germans invaded
that country. In the outlook for Sep
tember 10th, he tells among his ex-
periences the following:
Il have been with the German army
on their march TO Antwerp. watching
them build their pontoon bridges and
set fire TO the Belgian villages; and
have made my way. through the lines
to sur American consul at Liege,
bringing him the first news from the
outer world he has had for two weeks.
This is written after travelling some
thirty-seven miles on foot, and five
miles pumping along in a peasants
cart.
soon we were up on the little hill
back Of Mesch just as the sun was
sinking, and for the first time war, in
all its terrible spectacular splendor,
smote me hard. From the hill at M
feet there stretched great plain fill
ed with dense mass Of soldiery. one
could scarce believe that they were
soldiers, so we'll did their gray-green
coats blend with the landscape. one
might believe that they were indeed a
part of it could he not feel the atmos-
phere fairly vibrant with the mass
personality Of the myriad warriors
tramping down the crops of the peas
ants. In the rear the commissariat
vans and artillery still came lumber
ing up, while i'm the very front danced
the dreaded Uhlans on their horses,
looking with contempt, l amagine, on
the Dutch soldiers as they stood there
with the warning that here was
Netherland soil. Those great hosts on
the plains beneath had furnished the
picture with a red luminous back
ground made Of the blazing towns OF
Mouland and Wise, burned to the
ground by order Of the Germans The
fire was set as a warning to the in
habitants round about. They were
taking the warning and coming by
the thousands across the border into
Limbourg, their only haven Of safety.
When we drove down from the hill
into Eyesden, we were i'm the midst
of these peasants fleeing before the
red wrath rolling up into the sky.
They came shambling in with a few
possessions that they had hurriedly
laid their hands on, singly or in fam
ilies a pitiful procession of the disin-
herited. Some Of the men were moan
ing as they marched along. but most
OF them were taking il with the tragic
resignation Of the peasant, not under
standing stupefied rather than terri
fed The women were crying ont to
Mary and all the saints. Indeed, all
the little crosses along the waysides
or in the walls We're decked with flow
crs in gratitude for what has been
spared to them. In most cases it was
little more than their wives their brood
OF children and their dogs that follow
Cd on.
German Soldiers Courteous.
"In the morning ] climbed to the
lookout on the hill. The Germans had
all gone. ! walked over to where the
great Netherlands flag proclaimed neu.
tral soil l showed my pass from
Maastricht, and with one step ! was
over the border into Belgium, now
under German jurisdiction. The he'll
meted soldiers across the way looked
neither fierce nor fiery. In fact, they
greeted me with a smile. / explained
that was to go through to Liege.
Was 1t possible? They shrugged their
shoulders. Was IT dangerous Not in
the least. The Germans were right.
IT was not dangerous-that is, for the
Germans. BY proclaiming the ever
lasting friendship Of Germany and Am
erica and passing ont some chocolates
| made good friends on the home base.
They charged me only not to return
after sundown, giving point to their
advice by relating how only the pre-
vious night they had shot down i'm
the darkness n peasant woman who
had sought TO come past the sentinels.
They told this with a genuine note Of
grief i'm their voices. So with hearty
handshake and wishes for the best OF
luck they waved adieu TO me as ! went
swinging out on the highroad to Liege.
A half-mile and | came for the first