Evening star., 1940-07-07
Belgium Is Beginning
To Feel War Pinch
By WALLACE B. DEUEL..


BY WALLACE b. DEUEL..
chicsso Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
BRUSSELS, July e.-Belgium is
beginning to feel the pinch Of war
in general and the English blockade
in particular. but is still better of
in some respects than the Reich
itself as German rule here is being
administered with the maximum Of
tact and understanding.
It seems clear. after a weeks
tour of the country covering the
principal cities. that shortages of
certain foodstuffs and other COM
modities which Belgium formerly
imported from overseas, have be-
gun to make themselves felt for
the first time during the last few
days. The shortages are still mllder
than similar shortages in Germany,
but If the war lasts much longer,
they will presumably become more
severe.
The shortages vary in different
parts Of the country and even in diff
ferent parts of the same city. de-
pending. apparently, on the stocks
on hand and the liberality with
which they are being sold. Some
restaurants in Brussels serve no
coffee without special foodcards,
for example, whereas others are
still serving it freely. Soap, which
is hard to get in Brussels and is
sold only against special ration
cards in Liege, is freely obtainable
in other cities.
Meat Served Freely
Meat is still served freely in res
taurants, but white bread seems to
have disappeared pretty completely
throughout the country and has
been replaced by a rough. whole
wheat and rye bread of which res
taurants prefer not to serve TOO
much to any one person. Butter,
too, is a little short, but here again
adequate quantities are served with
out ration cards being asked in cx-
change.
American and English cigarettes,
which are general favorites with the
Germans, are extremely low where
they are not entirely exhausted,
but Belgian and other foreign Gig
arettes are still available in most
places and there seems to be no
shortages of cigars and pipe to-
bacco.
Clothes are not rationed and
stocks in most places seem to be
normal Nor does there appear to
be any panic-buying to speak OF.
No general system Of rationing
seems to be in effect throughout
the country so far. except on cof-
Zee purchased by the pound. Some
restaurants and shops are beginning
to ask for the foodcards used IN
Germany, however, and this ten
dency may be expected to gain
ground unless some special system
is worked out for Belgium itself.
Local German commandants in
some cities have issued ration cards
Of their own in limited quantities.
Able to Buy Beyond Needs. .
The only limitation in effect
throughout the country is a general
order by German authorities that
no one person is to be sold more
than enough for his current needs.
In the absence of ration cards and
customers lists it is still possible
for citizens to go from store to
store buying as much as possible
in each one. Some of this sort OF
thing undoubtedly is going on.
The Germans are taking consid-
cradle pains to prevent reserves IN
Belgium from being exhausted. Only
Germans on official business are al
lowed to enter the country at all
and a rigid customs control is being
maintained. There will undoubtedly
be heavy purchases by German
agencies authorized to make them,
but thus far at least, If there have
been such purchases, they have
failed to make themselves felt.
The two gravest problems which
Belgium faces are the bringing back
and resettling of the 100000 to
100000 refugees who fed before
the German attack and who have
not yet made their way back to their
own homes and the reconstruction
of the devastated towns.
The return of the refugees is
being arranged through co-opera-
ton among the Belgians themselves,
the Germans and the French. Much
has already been done, but much
remains to be done. The tragedy OF
the refugees-including the 5000 900
to 100000 French who also fed
from their homes-is one of the
greatest tragedies of modern times
and it will take years to do as much
as can be done to deal with 1t.
Try to Form Committee.
Tentative efforts are being made,
meanwhile, to set up some kind of
a national Belgian Committee with
which the Germans would be able
to cooperate in administrative
problems.
Most Belgians seem to have turned
against the members Of the cabinet
of Premier Hubert Pierlot, who fied
to London, and the chances appear
70 be against their being able to
stick by the country even If the
Germans would be willing for them
to do so. A
King Leopold, on the other hand,
seems to enjoy the support Of most
and any steps he would be likely
. to take toward setting up some
kind Of an administrative committee
assuredly would be approved by the