Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-16

moval or damaging of pieces of art,
to protect same If in danger and il
it WAS at all possible to transport
them to the depots of museums in
Brussels for safekeeping. 1t is IN
necessary to mention that according
to The Hague convention Of 1907 not
single piece of art has been taken
| from Belgium to Germany, though the
| Partisan papers, journals such as Ma.
| tin, Echo de Paris, etc, still publish
| long lists of paintings which we are
said to have taken to the Berlin mu-
| scum; but it is a deliberate untruth.
Now We come to starving Belgium,
| A general want of food has never been
felt in Belgium, you can even hardly
speak of a prohibitive rate Of food
| prices Only wheat was scarce In the
month of October, especially in the
coal districts Milk and vegetables
| were everywhere abundant.
The wheat scarcity was soon lifted
| through the importations from Amer.
| lea via Rotterdam Until that arrived
! Germany exported wheat to Belgium.
What could be complained Of is chiefly
| opportunity for work For 1t is the
| policy of the rich employers to stay
in England or France without troubl-
| ing themselves about their factories
and workmen in order that the German
government should have the trouble of
caring for them. In spite of this the
| agricultural work is thoroughly car.
exception Of the corner around YDres.
Beet Sugar Industry Kept Up.
The beet sugar industry is every.
where in full swing. Coal is trans
ported, the railroads are running with
German service and in the life of Brus.
| sells there is hardly a difference to
be seen from former times. You find
the cafes and restaurants always full
| and moving picture shows and cafe
chantants, etc, are prosperous.
The devastations from the war are
must confess, quite considerable in
some parts of the country. In the
beginning of August and September
many villages and small towns such as
Wise, Battize, Dinant, Aershot were
burned because the civil population
shot on the German troops. This also
refers to Louvain which, due to the
night revolt and shooting, lost almost
/ one-sixth of the town from fire. La
! ter this franctireur war ceased general
~ and only such villages and towns
I suffered which were contested for by
both sides.
ITO the latter belong several vii
lagos between Brussels and Antwerp
Also the towns of Duffel and Lierre
which are situated near the outside
forts of Antwerp and which by the
heavy bombardment were almost en-
tirely destroyed Take Termonde, fol
instance, which has been nine times
bombarded by the Belgians, as well as
the Germans, according to who occu
pied the city. The devastation Of such
places is rather greater now than was
the case in former wars, because the
artillery of today has greater effect
To blame anyone for that would be ut
terly unjust.
Situation Worse on East.
ut is the misfortune of war and
to come right down to it, such mis-
fortune has struck Belgium in a small
er degree than the utter devastations
/ by the Russians of the southern and
eastern parts of East Prussia, about
i which, however, no one in foreign
Ecountries seems to care. And people
must take into consideration that not
a single civilian in East Prussia took
I'D arms against the Russians, because
our Prussian population is far more
trained in this respect than the Bel.
gian; and they know that war is only
to be conducted by the troops. What
people do not report in foreign coun.
Etries is the fact that in spite of all
known war damages by far the larg.
est part of Belgium, though occupied
by our troops, remains absolutely un.
damaged. Even in Antwerp you have
to search for signs Of the lombard.
ment.. In Client, Bruges, Brussels, at
Mons, Journal, to be brief, everywhere
the Germans have entered without
Injecting resistance-not even a win.
dow pane is broken. This also refers
to the eastern part of Belgium near
| the border of Holland.
"The city of Liege itself, not the
Notifications, is in spite of being taken
| by storm almost untouched with the
/ exception Of houses from which stu.
dents and other franetireurs slot on
our troops.
ct viii be. dreadful in West FTand.
ers and Ypres where during the last
| months the war has ragged. have
not been there but know the German
shells have done there no more dam
age than those Of the English, French
and Belgium. ~. -.
Now enough OF Belgium. One would
Inever come to an end if one once
went into details Time will bring
forth the facts, whatever our enemies
may write while the war lasts.
I l had in Belgium a very interest
i ing time and was in peculiar kind
of work for a man who usually sits
at the writing table all day. I only
lonce approached the firing line of the
batteries near Mechels. 1t was most
lstirring, but rather humiliating not to
l. ha oil IN fokn oafiyo- MORT