Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-24


the war capitals of Europe. Brussels
under the German occupatIo Is prob
ably the gayest md the most deccp-
tive. 1t certainly outrivals Berlin in
life and brilllancy. Berlin out
hines London. The Germans are FREQ
spenders aleld; their influx here by
thousands has put large sums of money
artificial, perhaps superficial. pros
perity.
The crowds surGing all day up and
| down the principal shopping street. the
Rue Neuvc. overflow the sidewalks
and fill the street. well-dresscd
crowds promenade along the circular
boulevard all afternoon and into the
night Flnces of amusement and tho
cafes are crowded. The hundreds of
automobiles loaded with officers speed
ing about the streets with musica,
military horns blowing. add to the
gay illusion.
Nowhere save ut the great head
! quarters In France. where the Kaiser
stays when not haranguinE his troops
liant galaxy of high officers-and
every day seems p holiday In Brussels
! You catch the sinister undercurrent
in the more obscure little cafes Here
you will And some Belgian patriot who
Is glad of the chance to unbosom him
self to safe American. Perhaps he
will speak with unprintable bitterness
of The shame OF the Brussels women
who. he says. wave handkerchief and
smile friendly greetings at the sing
ing troop trains passing through the
, suburbs on their way to the front or
give flowers and cigars to the return
F, ing streams of wounded. They ought
/ to be shot as trait.esses. he SAYS For
| the honor OF the Belgian women. he
| adds. these form only a small per-
| centaEe~
| You are not surprised when well-in-
forre1 neutral residents tell you that
| these people have murder In their
hearts. and that lf the Germans ever
retreat In rout through Belgium.
Heaven help tho st,agsle ana the
rear guard" MOI that copies of Eng
fish papers. whose reading is forbid
! den. are nevertheless smuggled In. and
that copies of the London Times, fetch
rs high as 200 francs. reading circles
I being often formed at 80 francs per
head.
! But there are no hopeful signs here
OF a German retreat Brussels has not
been practically evacuated. On the
! contrary. one gets overwhelmingly rho
impression that the Germans expect
to stay for ever. No cannon are post :
ed on commanding avenues or suun res.
There are no serious measures for the
defense OF the capital The military
| and civil governments occupy the prin-
! cipnl public buildings. and seem to he
working with typical German thor
ouEhness The government Offices be-
gin to assume an air of permanence.
!, Germans Show Moderation.
As conquerors go, the invaders seem
to he bearing themselves we'll Th"re
is apparently no desire to rub Il In
the military government seemingly
pursuing the Wise policy OF trying to
spare the feelings OF the natives ,s
much as possible. perhaps In the ~.
possible hope OF ultimately concili-
atinr them. German flags are flown
s7aringly. Only small squads Of Land
+, stu"m are now occasionally seen
marching through the streets. Even
from the bItterest Belgians one hears
no stories of Insult. shame, or wrong
1 AT the same time, swift and harsh
! punishment Is meted out to any ono
whose actions are thought tC tend &c
Impair German military authority OF
dignity. Thus placards posted on many
street corners day before yesterday in
formed the people that a Belgian city
policeman had been sienced to Ave
years Imprisonment for 'interferine
with German official in the c,s ,harg,
of his duty, assaulting soldier. and
attempting to free prisoner" For
this. also. a flne of 100000 francs
S1 .0O0) was Imposed on tho city 81
/, Brussels. Another policeman was SCR
fenced to three years Imprisonment FOR
all. g,d similar offenses.
An interesting history of the German
occupation can be reconstructed from
these same placards pasted on buHl.
ings. Here Is one dating from the eai ly
days. forbiddIng bicycle riding In the
I country and announcing that civilian
cyclists will be shot at sight. IL you
look long enough you can also find
"a mutilated specimen of ex- Burgomas.
ter MaX's famous ''demcnti," In w,icf
he virtually calls the German military
governor OF Liege, and by implicaii n
the German go, ernment. liar" The
Bruxellois must be tickle and quick
to forget. for did not hear the pic.
turesque NJ. Max's name mentioned
once.
Tho realities OF the military occupa-
tion arc brought home to the people
/ perhaps most at the Care du Nord and
/ the Place de la Care. where the civic
| guards In their curious comic oper6
| :aps are reinforced by German gen.
ia, mes with rifles slung over their
shodlders. Civilians are not allowed
to cross this square In front OF the
railway station. keep to the side.
walk" Is the brusnue order to those
who stray. Also the park In front OF
the Royal Palace js closed to the pub.
:, Tic. Three bright red gasolene tank