Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-12

Z o CLOCK IN the evening. OnJlI the
last minute there had been the re-
peated assurances that his govern
ment would respect the neutrality
of Belgium, and to the Belgian
ministers the summons to let the
German troops pass over Belgian
soil to attack France came as a
blow that was not diminished in its
force by not having been unex-
pected. 1t seemed indeed but de-
tail in the midst of those tremen'
dous events that were tumbled each
moment into the horrid chaos of
the world, to be telegraphed to
Washington, with others, out OF
that room where we labored, that
room which was so hot, so still,
throbbing with the excitement that
thrilled the nerves of the world. 1t
was Sunday, but with no Sabbath
calm; the only reminder indeed of
the day was that some one said
that prayers for peace had been
said in all the churches. We began
too to hear the first of those ru-
mors in which war is so prolific but
we had little time to pay attention
to them because all our time, all
our strength, all our patience was
absorbed by the crowds OF Amer
leans that filled the corridors of the
legation day and night. They were
of all sorts and conditions, and they
came pouring into Brussels and for
days continued to pour into Brus-
sells from all over the continent.
Many of them were in fear, many
in a panic, few almost in frenzy.
There were those who wished to go
home, and there was those who,
still loath to relinquish their Eu-
ropean tour, the long cherished
dream that had been so rudely
broken, did not wish to go home.
Many of them we're without money,
their travellers cheques suddenly
worthless; they were at their wits
ends. l find a note in my journal
to the effect that the women were
often calmer, Drawer, more reason
able than the men. 1t was a strain,
listening to repeated tails of hard
ship. What they mostly needed was
some one to think and, above all,
to decide for them for most of
them were too perturbed to think
or decide themselves. We tried to
get as many as would do so to go
to Ostend and thence to England
the boats were still running
across the channel.
Army Modified
Meanwhile the mobilization of the
Belgian army was being effected amid
scenes of enthusiasm.
The requisitioning of motors was
going on; the Minister of the Interior
had issued a proclamation forbidding
cinema representations that might in
flame the populace; socialist demon
stration to have been held on the NOR
row had been voluntarily renowned !;
the king had issued DEGREES, putting
the army on a war footing, and con-
voking the chambers in extraordinary
session for Tuesday, and regarding the
issue of five franc notes, for the silver
pieces had crept into hiding.
III.
Crowded as they were with their
imperative exactions, the hours were
so heavy with tragedy that they moved
slowly by; in each of them one lived
a lifetime or an age.
Behind the persiennes of the minis
tries over in the rue de la Rel the
lights had burned all night, and after
long conferences with the king at the
palace, the ministers, Baron de Broc-
queville at their head, had drawn up
their calm and stately reply to Ger
many's utimatum; it was delivered
promptly to Mr.. Won Below. But
Germany had not even awaited Bel
GUMS response to her ultimatum,
but had invaded Belgian soil that
morning at Wise.
Receives French Minister
was routed out early that morning
by a telephone message from the
French legation asking if would
receive Monsieur Klobukowski, the
French Minister. 1 OWNED his desire
instantly; l knew he was coming to
ask me to take over the protection Of
French interests in case the capital
fell, l was down by eight, but M.
Klobukowski sent M. Fontarce, the
secretary of the French legation, in
his stead. Poor FOntacre! He was
very haggard and pale, with heavy,
dark circles under his eyes; he had
not been to bed at all; indeed, there
had been no sleep over at the French
legation; it was crowded day and
night by excited members of the
French colony, as ours was by Ameri-
cans, yet how much more crowded;
there were thirty thousand French in