Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-21
King and Qreen Enter City
Amid Cheers and Peal
ing of Bells
TALES OF FOE CRUELTY
Women Humiliated. Men Tor
iured, Hundreds Imprisoned,
Is Record of Occupation
Bv PHILIP GIBBS
Special Cable 10 Erening Public Ledger

Cptttut OuOtt ~ bttHHtS
Copyright, 1918, oy Neto YORK Times Co.
Antwerp. Nov. Il.
10 the pealing Of bells in the great
cathedral and the cheers Of massed
crowds, the King OF the Belgians made
a state entry intc the city OF Antwerp
{ by the bridge across the Scheldt known
as the Tete de Flandrcs and with the
Queen drove around the streets to the
Hotel de Vile in an open carriage.
Rain was falling and Antwerp w~s
+, fIled with. a white mist, but this dla
not dampen the spirits Of the people.
and some Of those I saw put UP colored
1,,5breIIas on which were the flags Of
all the Allies.
II ia a noble old city, with broad
streets and squares and big public bui'o'
ings, and these were all draped with
long banners and across the highways
we're streamers and flags In villas"
/. outsite through which the King passed
the people had placed Christmas trees
sdorned with little flags and Chinese
lanterns. as II for the coming of Father
Christmas with the spirit OF peace.
Physically, the people of Antwerp
have not uffered in this war, but their
Joy at liberation, the enthusiasm with
which they greeted King Albert the
stories they told me as talked with i'll
dividuals here and there, are proof
enough that they suffered in menta!
way severely enough 70 make them fecI
that horror had been lifted from
hN he Of the Germans
Suspended by Arms In Prison
The first main met had been il,
prison three months for jostliug Il Ger
man officer while he was disputing with
a friend over a point Of grammar, and
then he was suspended by the arms to
wall for fourteen days because he re-
celved a packet OF chocolate and would
not sell lit to the prison governor, who
coveted it, saying: Il DO not make com
merce with Germans
Thousands of people ven 20 prison
for trivial offenses like this or for their
refusal to pay fines. 4 lady | nC'.
whose husband is a prisoner IN Ger
many, was stripped at a railway station
outside Antwerp and searched for any
suspicious document she might be car.
rying. Many individuals suffered tn
dignities which they remembered with
passion though passing down these
streets one sees only the outward com
fort Of the population, which has not
passed through other rigors Of var.
One thing was curious today. At
man dressed IN Khaki the Antwerp
crowds stared curiously, not knowing
what uniform Il might be. and only
few recognized that It was English. It
issthe same with the new French uni
ha ,1-ifa pF n bENpeOCh officer
d prisoner, told me that when she said
good-by TO him he was In the black
1uiic and red trousers of the army of
1914 and she was astounded 10 see the
blue OF the new French army in Ant
werp. /
Last Sunday a week there were SIM
lar SCENES in Antwerp to those which
happened in Brussels. When the Ger
MAN soldiers heard the terms Of the
'arrnlstice they crowded around their Off
GERS. tore of their epaulettes and all
badges of rank. and said
This Is finished. We do not take your
orders now"
Ant~erp's Treasure safe
But there were no acts more Violent
than that, and on Friday night last the
last of the German garrison left the city
in good order They left behind them
vast stores of merchandise IN the harbor.
and have their ships still lying up in
dock with many English ships,
The most precious treasure OF Ant
werp. the Descent From the Cross" by
Rubens, hangs safe in the cathedral. and
was glad to see 1t there, For time.
during the bombardment Of 1914, it had
been hidden In cellars. but the glory of
its color greets one again.
As l write, the King is being received
by his people with immense enthusiasm,
and from all parts OF the city the bells
are ringing. SO that the air il full OF
this music, rising above the cheers