Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-10-13
ASSURE SAfTEY
TO THE REFUGEES
German General in Com
mand Gives Statement to
War Reporters.
(By Edgar Rowan.)

Amsterdam. Oct. 13.-Details Of q
trip to Antwerp after its occupation
by the Germans are provided by a
correspondent Of the Handelblad.
The Dutch commander at Putten
asked him to inquire Of the German
commander at Antwerp. General Won
der Schuetz. whether the refugees
whether they would receive guaran-
tees that they would not be in dan
ger. Motoring. t3ilthe city. the cor
respondent found Geperal.> o der
Schuetz instafl4d4n the hotel De Vile,
and upon delivering his message re-
ceived the following statement in
German, Dutch and French:
"The undersigned. the commander
of Antwerp, declares that the return
Of the inhabitants to their homes is
not prevented. No harm will be done
them and private property will be re-
spected on conditions that they re-
train from hostile acts. Members of
the civil guard, If unarmed, can safe
ly return, and will not be made pris-
oners."
1t was also announced that male
Belgians between the ages of 10 and
80 would be semitic Germany.
Asked for Use of Car.
The correspondent raj then asked
to lend his q to q: German officer.
He agreed to drive him wherever he
wished on condition that the a was
not to be used for hostile purposes.
The correspondent was assured that
the intention was only to make q trip
to the forts under a white flag to ne
gotiate the surrender of any that were
still holding out.
Accordingly a lieutenant and three
soldiers got into the car, and it moved
off. Outside the city they passed
trenches, with barbed wire barbados,
and many batteries and heavy guns,
which had been spiked by the defend
ers before their flight, and also heaps
Of Belgian uniforms and caps that
had been thrown away. Presently
they arrived at q deserted fort. Two
Germans who we're on guard a that
they could go no further, as the bridge
had been blown up. Then the lieu
tenant hoisted hts handkerchief as a
white flag. for he was doubtful wheth-
er the district was yet clear OF Bel
CLANS. The party passed along lanes
unmarked on the German maps.
The party drove all around Antwerp
along the inner line of forts, and. at
last reached Cappelen. where the
lieutenant entered the town hall, said
the correspondent
Such a crowd gathered around the
car while we waited that the burgo-
master came outron the steps and said
that the appearance Of the Germans
must not frightep the people. I told
him of my conversation with the COM
mander at Antwerp. and he at once
informed the people that they could
safely return home. This news was
received with loud cheers.
I'VE continued our Quincy to Put
ten, and encountered " streams OF
refugees-one flying from Antwerp,
the other already returning. Sc that
our progress was SLOW. Many OF them
were very glad when they saw the
white flag. crying that peace a
come. $.
I'm the district we say a solitary
Belgian soldier come out Of q hut and
look at the Germans with eyes full OF
hatred. AS we approached he sprang
on q bicycle and dashed of. We saw
many other solitary Belgian soldiers in
the distance, and the lieutenant SEEM
ed very sorry that lie could not ar
rest them, as he was motoring under
the white flag.
Antwerp is now a strange city OF
silence. The streets, avenues. quays
and stations are all curtously empty,
and only here and there do you see a
citizen ecuttlins along the pavement
to dive into the cellar of some house.
Food is scarcetin Antwerp; the gas
and waterworks are mostly DESTROYED.
and all mean OF communication with
the outer world has been Gu Off,"