The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-02-14
HUN SHIFT COST I
BELC|ANS JOBS
Not a Factory in Country Can Be
Operated.
900, 900 WoRxMEN ARE idle

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 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 I'M
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 founS 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.
Guiding herds Of cattle at $40 head.
In the hotels and shops of Bruges,
Brussels and Client 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 pound,
butter is $3.50 and eggs are 80 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 gen.
orally believed by the Belgians.
1 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 been
home.
On the east of the old German lines
st is still beautiful Belgium. Dixmude
Is but a rockpile, but Brussels and
Client appear unchanged until you
enter the factories stripped Of their
machinery and the homes stripped of
their copper and brass and wool.
Flags Still Flying.
At Bruges, where the orgies of the
U-boat crews were held, the Germans
in their hasty evacuation left SER
geant to bring on the string Of flags
from the public square-flag for
each ship the U-boats had sunk. The
flags are still there. The sergeant is
said to have accepted a final drink
and left them.
Brand Whitlock, American minister,
who arrived in Brussels the day before
King Albert, was given a great ova-
ton. 1t took him hours to make his
way through the cheering crowds to
his home. He was made an honorary
burgher Of the city. Antwerp had al
ready conferred similar honor.
Four days after the Germans left
Brussels the Belgians had erected a
beautiful plaster model for a statue to
America and another to Edith Cavell.
They will remain until they are re-
placed by stone.
The Belgians pouring back into their
country from the west, from Ho land
and from Germany are all smiles. The
place they are making for may be only
pile Of runs, or house stripped of
all furnishings, but it's HOME.