The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-03
MILLIONS OF BELGIAhs
ARE IN. DIRE DISTRESS
Practically Every Acre OF Whole Ma.
ton Swept Clean IF Every. 3
thing Valuable.
ALI, BUSINESS Ar sTANpsTILI.

\ e ! . Y
Less Than Half of Normal Population
Decently Sleltered--Food Supplies
Being Rapidly Exhausted---lsoIa-
ton LIS Almost Complete.
BRUSSELS tvia London). November
2 q p. M).--Between 100000 and
100000 Belginns have little or moth
Ing to call home" They are a people
almost without ., country.
Fcodstnffs. forage, horses. cattle and
automobiles not Communicated by the
Belgian army have been seized by the
Germans. Practically every acre is
now swept of everything valuable.
1t is estimnted that there arc now
soo,ooo Be,gfans in England, and 500.
ooo IN Holland. The lowest estimate
m mace mere places the number of Bel
able at 100000. Malines Lonvain.
Liege. Namur. Charleroi. Mons, Dinant
and score OF smaller places have heen
SO shattered by the artillery flre that
less that half Of the normal population
are dacently sheltered.
A report from Limbure saws Tim,
the supplies for tho bread line have
neen exhausted. and the feeding can bo
resumed only when American food
arrives. =.
The seizure of cattle for tho armies
mas ieft tho country without beef, milk
ana cheese. Tho supply OF grain has
been cut off. FOR several weeks
Flanders was able to help the eastern
portion, but now Bruges, Client. Ant
wcrp and Ostend are suffering the same
distress which earlier befell the cast
ern part of tho Continent.
INDUSTRIES AT LIEGE
BROUGHT TO STANDSTII,i,
s/A Liese--thc Pittsburgh or bel.
gtum--the steel industry has been
Drought to standstill. At Antwerp
the New York of tho Balginns-nii
shipping has stopped. Hundreds Of
Dig steamers lie Idle at the docks
thousands of freight trucks arc r,Ist-
ing beside tho canal, while the horses
are dead on Flemish battlefelds. The
drivers and freight handlers are in
hospitals or with King AlBert's army.
Nienport ana Ostend. the latter sug-
costing Atlantic City to an American.
are occupied by the Germans, and tho
hotels are filled with German wounded.
BRUSSELS. tho deserted capital, has
been spared destruction, but it's indus
,rles are shut down. Lace workers are
being fed at soup kitchens Tho stores
have no food to sell, and the pubiic
has no money to buy IL opportunity
onered Members OF noble families
have discharged theif servants and
Joined the bread line
The fear Is commonly expressed that
me citE, with It's famous buildings.
VIII be Destroyed either by attack or
by the Germans themselves, should
thay he compelled to retire
herman money Is In general use.
MILITARY proclamations in all the store
windows announce that the Innrk must
he accepted, BRUSSELS has no postal
communication except with GERMANY
Everything Is censored. No RAILWAYS
arc operated In Central Belgium. Most
OF the lines are without bridges,
Canals arc tho only avenues for shin
ment Of freight.
ABOUT ONE-FIFTH HAVE
EMPLOYMENT OF SOME SORT
Belgians here estimate that one-
hfth have employment OF some sort.
These include farm, owners and les
sees. The beet crop has been ruined
by the armies. and sugar factories are
closed. There are no horses or other
eanfpment for harvesting or trains 10
move the small amount OF beets that
have Bureived the devastation OF war
and few able-boGicd men to assist tho
women, who are endeavoring to ward
or starvation by gathering what lit
Ito remains of the crops In the field
Antwerp's diamond cutters are in
tho army. AIalines's tapestry factories
are in ruins. Many cotton mills are
In ashes, and those that still stand are
closed. All universities and schools
have been abandoned. Nearly all ply,
sieians are 1T the front or serving In
the hospitals. Hundreds OF priests and
nuns arc caring for tho sick and
wounded. Few churches are fit for
occupancy as hospitals and otherwise
Convent homes have been deserted by
the sisters Many nre so badly wreck
ed they could AFFORD no shelter
Canals leading from Belgium to Hol-
land and the one railway line between
Antwerp and Roosendaal constitute
Belgiums only communication with
neutral territory. The disheartened
Beigtans nro unable to communicates
with their relatives whether they are
refugees in Holland or soldiers on tho
battle line. Their isolation Is almost
complete,
SINGLE RAY OF HOPE
is AMERICAN RE:I,IEB'
Tho single ray OF hope la afforded by
the American eommission for relief in
belgium. The lihcraltty OF Holland Is
described M splendid. but tho country's
grain supply Is exhausted. Great Brit
ain having limited Dutch i,nportations.
supply is tho United states,
Even the few Bclgians, with money
cannot buy food. There Is no wheat,
-four, coffee or salt to be had at any
price. In many cities conditions are
worse than in country districts. Bakar-
les are closed, and vegetables nre the
only diet. Supplies that the American
commission is shipping will help
little. but thousands of Delgians posi-
lively are hungry.
Imperfect means of communication
have prevented the American minister.
nd IVhiflnCk a ND m no e
men from advising the world fully OF
tho terrible situation that eonfronta Tho
Belgians az winter opens. Tho absence
OF King Albert and high government
officials has made 1t impossible for the
local authorities to make their plight
known.
CANDIDATES. IN TENTH
HOLD JOINT DISCUSSIONS
L GIAn i'll L. -