The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-10
Army Of Occupation Regarded
as Deliverer Rather Than
as COnquerOr.
FOOD SUPPLY PLENTIFUL
People 'Squeaf Too Easily and
Have No Conception Of
Horrors Of War.
ny PERRY ROBINSON.
Special cdbe Dsspatch 10 The sus from tAe
London Times Serrtce.


London Times Serrtce.
COPYRIGHT. 1913: all rights ressrred.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY OF OccU-
PATTON. Dec. e.-The British army In
its advance into occupied territory is
being generally welcomed by the in
habitants as n guarantee OF the main
tenance Of order.
At Duren, as an example, where our
advanced line rested for two days,
there had been two days when the
town was at the mercy OF pillagers
and Of revolutionary German soldiers
with red flags
The Oberburgomaster himself told
me how glad they were when the Brit
ish arrived. Well to do people gen.
orally, and Duren is a conspicuously
prosperous industrial place. showed
they regarded the army much less as
a conqueror than as a dellverer.
Conditions in Cologne also were
such Saturday (before the arrival Of
the British forces) that an urgent re-
quest came from the local authorities
that our troops be pushed forward i'm
mediately. In response some cavalry
and machine guns were promptly sent.
Correspondents were not permitted to
accompany them.
Fear French and Beixfans.
Meanwhile reports reach us Of seri-
Gus disturbances there, which may
prove exaggerated. What is certain
that in most OF the larger towns
the ordinary machinery for the main
tenance Of order has broken down and
there Is no competent authority TO re-
place 1t except the occupying armies.
II may be said without giving Of
fence 70 our Allies that there Is a ger
e-ei preference everyvter ere for the
P-..!sh troops. The knoUl.dge that
It had been In France ana belgium
where the chief outrages have been
committed BY German soldiers !s COM
mon and the inhabitants Of Germany
shrewdly fear retaliation.
AS matter OF fact, the Belgian
soldiers are behaving very wei. AK
Ia Chapelle has been occupied by them.
The city had been nervous of the
transitional period. but the Burgomas-
ter told me the Belgian troops had
borne themselves excellently. What
the Burgomaster called Bolsheyiki
among the local Inhabitants and the
disbanded German soldiers have done
a good deal Of pillaging He quoted
individual instances where cigar shops
had been plundered Of $500 worth of
goods. tewelry OF twice that value and
watches. AK has been DESTROYS of get
| ting British military police protection.
Realise German Offences.
The critical period, however. has
now tided over. and while one regrets
lawlessness OF all kinds, when the In
habitants. whether official or other
| wise, have voiced their grievances, ]
have not been able TO resist reInark!ng,
Nothing they are suffering Is one
thousandth part OF what they and
their armies inflicted on Belgium and
France" 1t is interesting to note that
they seem we'll enough informed OF
what their troops have done to occu-
pied territory. and they make no at
tempt at self-defence.
! We took precautions for several
days to carry British army rations
and timed goods, which We still have
| out meanwhile have been proyisioned
in local hotels more abundantly than
| for months.
| All told me they still have bread
stuffs for periods OF from three to five
weeks. While conditions might easily
become serious, in view OF the con
tinued lavish display in the shops and
the quantity OF food in the restaurants
and hotels a panic now seems prema-
ture. They squeal too readily. and 1,
is difficult not to resent the fact tina,
SO far they have had so little brough,
home TO them OF the meaning OF the
| horrors they forced on other peoples.