The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-01-10
Not a Factory in Country Can Be
Operated.
100000 WORxMEN ARE idle
All Machinery and Tools In Belgium
Were Carried Off by German In
vaders Work of Destruction
Stopped on President Wilson's Pro-
test-Spirit OF People Is Untouched
by Years of Oppression.

Nine hundred thousand workmen in
liberated Belgium are idle because the
Germans carried off all machinery and
tools In the country. Not a factory in
the country can be operated.
The Germans wrecked two mines be-
fore they were stopped in their work
of destruction by President Wilson's
protest.
The other mines may be opened
soon, but the factories must wait for
machinery. When it will come nobody
knows.
But the spirit of the people is un-
touched by the years of oppression.
Nightly parades and the clatter Of
wooden shoes as they dance in the
streets prove this.
Government appraisers are now out
in all parts of Belgium reviewing the
damage done by the Huns for the res
toration bill which Is now being drawn
up. This bill will be presented to the
| peace conference.
There is about seven weeks food
supply in Belgium. During the days
of German occupation the rich had
everything, but the middle class suf-
fered terribly. The workmen existed
by means of soup kitchens.
Ample Food on Hand.
The hotels now have ample food
stores which the Germans left. Thir-
ty thousand eggs were found In the
Deutsch bank
Other food was stolen by the Ger
mans from their own stores and sold
to the Belgians during the retreat, in
cluding herds of cattle at $40 head.
Brussels and Ghent almost anything
may be hand, but the prices are high
because the supplies are limited.
The masses of the population are
still dependent on the committees
which have undertaken to handle the
food problem.
Pork and beef are about So a pound,
butter is $3.50 and eggs are so cents
each.
Belgium Is PROSTATE, hungry, but
joyous. She is putting her best foot
forward, hiding her pain and. "carry-
ing on" till things get going again.
Dozens of Belgians have told me
with touching confidence that America
was going to send Hoover to direct the
work of reconstruction. This is gem
orally believed by the Belgians.
/ entered Belgium from Calais and
passed the first thin string of thriving
little gardens running right to the edge
of No Mans Land, where everything
suddenly became a barren and pock.
marked desert. There the only life
was the German prisoners working on
: the railways and their guards and the
, little families of refugees standing
amid the runs of what once had beer
home.
r On the east of the old German lines
!. it Is still beautiful Belgium. Dixmudt
) Is but rockpile, but Brussels ant
Client appear undamaged until yot
: enter the factories stripped of theil
machinery and the homes stripped o.
their copper and brass and wool.
! Flags Still Flying.
AT Bruges, where the orgies of thu
U-boat crews We're held, the Germans
in their hasty evacuation left ser
geant to bring on the string of flag
! from the public square-flag TO
each ship the U-boats had sunk. TIL,
flags are still there. The sergeant i
,, said to have accepted final drinl
" and left them.
Brand Whitlock, American minister
y who arrived In Brussels the day befor
!. King Albert, was given a great ova
!, tion. 1t took him hours to make hi
. way through the cheering crowds t
!. his home. He was made an honorar
4 burgher of the city. Antwerp had al
ready conferred a similar honor.
& Four days after the Germans lef
:. Brussels the Belgians had erected
}. beautiful plaster model for a statue t
II America and another to Edith Cavel
Z. They will remain until they are re
\ placed by stone.
The Belgians pouring back into thei
country from the vest, from Hollan
and from Germany are all smiles. Th
place they are making for may be Onl