El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-20
WOULD
STARVE IN WEEK
WITHOUT RELIEF
Americans in Brussels Say
Germans Help in Re
lief Work.
CONDITIONS ARE
WORSE IN ANTWERP

n RUSSELS. Belgium, Feb. 20
IL Brand Whitlock, the American
minister in Brussels, and Henry
w. Diedrich, the American consul gem
eral in Antwerp, who were sources
from whom the Associated Press cor
respondent sought information as to
the progress of relief work, both de-
clared that the German authorities
were cooperating so far as possible in
the service which outsiders were try
ing to render to the distressed Bel
CLANS.
Mr.. Whitlock is stin activeIy inter-
ested in the work of the American Re
lief committee. and discussing its i'm
portance, he said:
There are places where the cessa-
ton Of our work for a week would
mean starvation. 1 believe that its
cessation for three weeks would mean
hunger throughout Belgium. A Ger
man officer said to me yesterday that
70 stop IL for day would mean suf-
fering in some localities"
The committee is now so systemati-
cally established, that its headquarters
occupy no less than % rooms which,
like the offices of an American sky
scraper, are lettered at the door with
the names of the various departments.
Word "Americnn' Is Magical
Throughout Brussels there is such
magic in the word American that
even the cabman no longer posters
Americans for tips. Hand him the eX-
act fare, if he knows you are an Amer
lean, he VIII smile and say Thank
your and appear to be sufficiently re-
Warded with the honor Of having an
American for his fare. 1t is a trifling
thing, but in strange contrast TO the
antebellum DAYS when a Brussels cab
man looked to Americans for big tips,
and was never satisfied, however big
the tip might be-
Although there is much bitter want
in all Belgium, Brussels, to one who
knew the city well before the war,
looks-apart from the German uni
forms in the street-much as in normal
times. Striking, however. is the num-
Der of beggars, mainly old women and
very young children, and the swarm Of
vendors, chiefly OF postcards At night
there is the same ceaseless prOmenad-
ing through the main streets that has
always formed such a characteristic
picturesque part Of life in the belgian
capital but at II o'clock most of the
street lights are extinguished and the
bars and cafes are closed.
This early closing, and the fact that
only beer and light wines are per-
mitted to be sold, are the chSef OFT
ward evidences of the strict German
rule of the conquered city. These con-
ditions, however, are more apparent
than real.
German Soldiers Good Customers.
The German soldiers are good pa
irons of the shops, paying for their
purchases in cash. but the buying
power of the people is steadily-and
rapidly-grOwing less Industry, eX-
cent in some of the coal and iron mines
along the Meuse between Liege ana
Hugs is PROSTATE. The better class
people remaining are living on their
incomes or savings: the poorer on
charity In the Bon Marche, for IN
stance, one Of the largest Of the Brus-
cells stores, there appear to be only
about a third as many clerks as before
the war, and the same is true Of other
establishments. A large lace factory
visited was quite idle.
There are no more Americans, no
more English, no more Spaniards, VS.
iting u.s." said the young woman IN
charge. "The girls who worked here
are in the fields"
Antwerp PROSTATE.
In Antwerp conditions are Iar worse
Business is PROSTATE and actual want
increasing. Along. the miles Of Wharves
OF the city's splendid harbOr the IDLE
shins lie rustfng at their moorings.
Millions Of feet Of lumber are stacked
ia the deserted yards, and where ordl-
nariIv a swarm of workmen load ana
unload the BUSY snlps' q SO- "a ;
Waterman makes his deserted rouns.
The city is overrun with beggars
and vendors The shops are empty.
Scattered about the city are wrecked
and burned buildings, showing where
German shells fell during the lombard
ment Of the city.
ssThe life is most mOnotonous," com
,1ained consul general Diedrich. with
The exception Of members Of my starr
and OF the American relief workers
there are. so far as I know, only Two
Americans left in Antwerp