The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-02-13

Much Worse.
BRUSSELS, Jan. %. Correspond |
cnce of The Associated Press) Brand |
Whitiock the American minister in |
Brussels, and Henry W. Dicderich, the |
American consul general i'll Antwerp, |
who were sources from whom The As
ISOLATED Press correspondent sought
| information as to the progress of re-
| lief work, both declared that the Ger
man authorities were cooperating so
far as possible in the service which
outsiders were trying to render to the
distressed Belgians.
! Mr.. Whitlock, fresh and alert not
withstanding the strain of the past
few months is still actively interest
ed in the work Of the American Relief
committee. and discussing its import
ance. he said:
| "There are places where the cessa-
ton of our work for Il week would
mean starvation. l believe that it's
cessation for three weeks would mean
hunger throughout Belgium. \ Ger
man officer said to me yesterday that
to stop it for Il day would mean suffer
ing in some localities.
J The committee is now SO syStcmatic-
= ally established, that its headquarters
occupy no less than - rooms, which,
E like the Offices of an American sky
= scraper, are lettered at the door with
T. the names of the various departments
=, Throughout Brussels there i sucl
magic in the word Americana that
= even the cabman no longer poster,
~ Americans for tips. Hand him the ex
> act fare, if he knows YOU are Ameri
= can. he will smile and say "Thaul
J. vou,' and appear to he sufficiently
J. rewarded with the honor Of having ~
American for his fare. It Is tridin;
: thing, but i'll strange contrast to tin
', ante bellum days when a Busscls cab
n man looked TO Americans for big tips
= and was never satisfied, however hi
n the tip might he.
n Although there is much bitter wan
TO in all Belgium, Brussels to one VIII
q knew the city we'll before the wa
- looks --- apart from the Germau un
y forms in the strcet-much as in norm;
. times. Striking, howevor, iS rho unu
= Der of beg%arS, mainly old women au
" very young children, and the swarl
~ of vendors. chiefly Of postcards. y
- night there is the same ceaselcss prom
enading through the main streets tn;
me- has always formed such charactcri
,fp TIC iittbAtSIbt Ittlt " tttN iAtt III 81
=. Belgian capital. but at II O clock mo
a. Of the street lights are cxtinguish,
Of and the bars aud cafes are closed.
Y. This early closing, and the fact tn;
only beer and light wines are perni
- ted to be sold, arc the chief outWal
evidences of the strict German rules
the conquered city. These condition
however. are more apparent than re;
4 The German soldiers are good pa
rons OF the shops. paving for the
purchases in cash, but the buying por
DE- er of the people is stcadily-and rapi
ton ly-growing less. Industry. except
some of the coal and iron mines aloI
- the Mouse between Licge and IIuvs.
PROSTATE. The bettcr-class people
naming are living ON their incomes
savings; the poorer on charity. In t
Bon Marche, for instance. one of t
largest of the Brussels stores, the
~ appear to be only about d third
many clerks as before the war, II
the same is true of other cstabli>
- ments. \ large lace factory visited
. the correspondent was quite idle.
"There are no more Americans.
more English, no more SpaniardS, Y
iting us said the Young woman
charge ''The girls who worked ii,
are in the fields
In Antwerp conditions are far wor
Business is PROSTATE and actual w;
" increasing. Along the miles of whol'
. of the city's splendid harbor the i
- ships lie rustin@ ut their moorin
Millions OF feet OF lumber are stacI
in the deserted wards, and where on
narily a swarm OF workmen load {
unload the busy ships, solt:
watchman makes his deserted rouuG
: The city is overrun with beggars
vendors. The shops are empty ST
tered about the city are wrecked ;
, burned buildings, showing where c
man shells fell during the bomba
, meat of the city.
''Thc life is most monotouou
complained Consul General Dicdcr
"With the exception of members
my staff and Of the American re
III workers. therc are, SO far as / kn
. only two Americans left in Antwer