TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-02-26

West. No military Commander would
take the responsibility Of laying his
country open to d flank attack through
a country known to be hoAtile. 1t may
not be generally known here that Il
was owing to the American ambassador
in Brussels that the same scenes were
not enacted in that city as In Louvain,
As matter Of fact, the mayor Of
Brussels, Marx by name, had given
orders for the Brussels civilguard 10
dig trenches and to fire upon the
Germans, and they were restrained from
doing this only by our ambassador. who
went to the trenches and showed the
would d-be-soldiers the foolishness OF
such attempts TO stop an army. Our
ambassador also told me Of the excel.
lent impression that General Field
Marshal Won der 0oltz had made upon
him, as Governor General OF Belgium,
and said to me incidentally that official
business In Brussels was transacted
much more promptly and smoothly un-
der the German administration. than
1t had been formerly by the Belgians.
In Louyain there was unfortunately no
American consul to restrain the ciyil
population from firing upon the Ger.
mans from the ambuscade Of their
houses. Inhabitants OF Louvain admit
ted to me themselves that their firing
at the Germans had been n terrible
inistake. They would not have done It,
they told me, had they not been secret
ly informed from Antwerp, that n
so-tie from that city had been success
full retreat on Louyain. When then
a small column OF tired-out German
soldiers happened 70 euter Louvain that
same evening, the deluded populace
thought that they were part Of the
completely routeds and fleeing troops
Of the German army, and at once
opened fire upon them. would hero
as a military man further say that, II
I were In war and hostile civilian
population were TO fire on my troops.
] should proceed in the same way as
the Germans did In Louvain. Our Am
crican soldiers always did the same In
the Philippines. As literary man
naturally regret that tho historically
library In Louvain happened
10 be burned with other buildings, but
IN war, fire and sword are always at
work, and regrettable losses Of valuable
things take place in all belligerent
| was in Veracraz this last
spring when car American marines
destroyed the valuable H.
brary OF the Mexican naval and acade-
my. onr officers Of course regretted
this afterwards very much. Colonel
Emerson then changed his subject TO
the Eastern seat OF war and showed
by means OF photographs views the
wanton destruction Of churches and
property by the Russians, during their
short invasion Of East Prussia early In
August, and as a contrast pointed 10
the pictures Of the villages and their
on Russian territory now In
the hands Of the Germans. Regarding
the surprising readiness OF the Russian
armies at the opening of hostilities lie
had this 70 say: While was at tho
front, was surprised to notice amongst
the Russian prisoners men With features
which were familiar TO me from the
lays OF the nussian.Japenese war.
spoke TO some Of these inen whose
home ] knew to be on the Amur. far
away near the Chinese frontier. ibid
ou come so far2r "Yes" was the
answer when did you start'" "Early
n Juneir Colonel Emerson's conclud-
ng remarks contained praise and a1-
as military man for the
strategy OF Field Marshall Hindenburg.
the German troops at the
Eastern seat of war in Russia, and for
he pluck and bravery of the German
roops who turned seeming defeat in
% a splendid victory against a numsr-
cally overwhelming enemy" His stat.
iment, which bore the marks OF earn
,stncss and conviction, were listened TO
which great attention, and frequently
Ipplauded.