The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-12-07
AK LACHAPELLE
NOW OCCUPIED.
First Really Large German
Town Entered by Allies.
People SulIen.
NO SIGN STARVATION
Correspondent Tells of Lavish
Meal, Low Prices-Food
Scarce on Dutch Border.
(By Perry Robinson.)

I0ndOn Tinles-Phil. Ledger Cop. CaDle)
With the British Army. Dec. t.
The allied armies of occupation have
completed the first stages of their
march into Germany without unto
ward incident. its progress having so
far being marked by orderliness on
| the one side and decent respectful
ness on the other. Country through
| which they passed was beautiful in
| spite of the war and had every ap-
pearance of prosperity. II is, how
ever, easy to find evidence of griev-
GUS food shortage in sections near
the Dutch frontier, which we have
SO far penetrated. AK La Chapelle
is the first really large German town
occupied by the allies. had there
Wednesday certainly the best and
most lavish meal l have enjoyed for
a long time. 1t was much ahead of
anything to be got in Brussels, Liege
or Namur and infinitely more gen.
erous than Client, Bruges or Ostend
could produce. l do not know where
on this side of London or Paris one
could do better. Nor Is there In the
shops any appearance of shortage.
People complain. but do not show
outward signs of undernourishment.
Prices are about the same for eata-
bles and lower for wine than in occu-
pied parts of Belgium. Neither in
the villages nor in the first large city
l have seen do the German people
appear anywhere near starvation.
AK Is in the Belgian area Of occu-
patton. stood on the steps of the
Rathhaus while Belgian troops
marched through the square. The
band was playing.
. curjeus Experience. sss 4
= I found it q curious experience |
1fInf o. llo6p Ill) v IIsl9 ~ 0o slIk.
enough to collect q cheering crowd.
to see this column here filing through
the streets. devoid Of bunting, with
only casual sullen interest shown by
the passerby.
Already the streets OF AK are |
placarded with notices over the sig |
nature of the Belgian commandant, |
phrased as nearly as possible along |
the lines of similar German procla-
nations in occupied districts. Peo-
pie are warned against offering vio-
lence or disrespect to allied troops. !
All men must take off their hats to
officers in the streets. All cafes, res
taurants and theaters are closed till
further notice, as are all hotels ex-
cept a few, kept open for the con-
venience of allied troops. People are
10rD1dden TO go outdoorS between
o'clock at night and o'clock in the
morning. Shops and streets must be
kept lighted all night. Use of vehi-
cles in the streets is forbidden. No
one may wear a German uniform or
carry arms. the penalty being sum-
mary shooting. So far all has gone
quietly. though l understand officers
have found 1t necessary to knock off
the hats OF some civilians refusing
to salute them according to orders.
One walks down street continually
hat raising, which
goes on on every side. However SAL
utary it may be. this regulation has
it's penalty for allied officers as well
as the inhabitants.
Played Tourist.
For great part of the day played
tourist at AK. Except for a certain
unspoken consciousness of strained
relations on account of hat raising
In the streets, my experiences of the
day differed little from those of any
holiday in peace times. The people
to observe an outward SEM
blance of courtesy, but 1t was impos-
sble not to wonder how widespread
was the sentiment she reflected when
a woman in shop declared that so
ong as the war was finished, nothing
else mattered. -.