Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-30
CHANGED
SINCE OCCUPATION
Dumb Hostility to Everything
German Observed by visi-
tors to City
LEAVE RESTAURANTS
WHEN GERMANS ENTER
People Refuse to Work for Ger
man Conquerors and Suffer
in Consequence

man Conquerors ana SuHer
in Consequence
Brussels, Sept. z9.-Visitors who
knew Brussels before the war and WHO
then were struck with les vitality and
he vo,uoility Of its citizens now are
amazed at the quietude of the place
What has brought about the dull
ness is, in the first place, the knowi
edge that every one is under constant
surveillance, not only by soldiers Ebut
by secret German agents and that ev
cry chance word may lead to arrest
and probable deportation to a concen
tration camp in Germany, where the
Mayor Of Brussels, NJ. Max, now is.
In the street cars, in. the stores ant
on the streets the citizens seldom con
verse even when relatives or clcSs
friends are together, and should
stranger address them the reply i
usually just plain moi" or "Yes!'
y II don't, know!"
On the street cars a passenger
will sometimes remark about a rumor
I'D military action-for rumors Of al
kinds are current in the city in the
aheence of local newspapers-at the
@me time expressing in q low voice
his pleasure If the German troops
have suffered a slight reverse. The
others in the car never respond, since
many OF their cctmpatriots have faller
INTO the trap ard, after giving utte-
ance to their opinions to the "sympa-
shettc" stranger, have (oeen arreste+
md heavily fined or imprisoned, o.
both.
Many mon and women imned,atel-
change seats should a German ST.
iieG take q seat next to them in thn
mr. Others get up without a wore
md leave the car at the next stcppins'
place.
Dumb hostility can be observer
everywhere and the Germans notwit'
handing their efforts, seem unable I
ain the confidence Of the Brussel
people.
There appear to be as many secret
herman agents--some Of them Belai
ans-as there are soldiers in Brussels
They are encountered everywhere
IN the cafes It is declared they lister
to every chance remark OF the custom
crs; they form into line with the Bel
.sian applicants for passes at the of
cial permit Office: they mix VITA TIN
poor people waiting for their supply
- food from the relief commissions
Anything that may be said agains'
he German authorities is certain t.
ioe overheard and reported, for the
secret agents are linguifts who speaf
French and Flemish and many Ct the
dialects.
This constant surveillance. with thu
increasinE poverty Of the Belgian Ia
'',oring classes, has a very d%epressin'
effect. Hope and conviction that q
some future unknown period thei'
country viii again be free, enable
to bear patiently the discomfort
Ing presence Of the German troops
but the coming winter Is awaite'
with some trepidation. The poor
despite their ha,bitual thrift, have al
most reached the end OF their re
sources. In consequence Of the stop
mage Of many Industries, the humble
of unemployed is growing rapidly and
70 q result savings mace before the
war nave been In many cases ex
hausted.
On July Il official figures showeS
that there were in the whole Of Be-
dunn $4,000 voorhees,, including both
sexes, and this number has since bee"
added to. In Brussels and it's suburbs
alone there were just over 5000
without work, besides nearly 27,C0"
women and 10000 children under II
years old receiving relief. Hundreds
II tae skilled workers have managed
10 leave the country to seek worl
or to join the ranks Of the
army. Most, however, Z unable u
Ind the means to secure guides t.
lake them over the Dutch frontier
passes, which are next to i'm
possible to obtain.
Recent DEGREES issued by the Ger
nan Governor-G General in Brussels
ave made life even more difficult for
he laborers, who decline to carry our
work which might assist the German
Prosecution and punish
ment are threatened for all workmen
who refuse work when It Is OhereE
diem, while any one who by means
II relief sustains q WORKMAN in h.s
also renders himself liable to
severe punishment. In the last week
II August the Eelgian National Bank
was fined $1,000 because one Of it,
paid out $500 to the order Of a
Belgian depcsitor now q refugee in
Holland.
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