has generally, since the arrival of the German troops, maintained
order and quiet. For this reason, I have not yet forbidden the
display of Belgian flags, which is regarded as a provocation by the
German troops living in or passing through Brussels. Purely in
order to avoid having our troops led to acting on their own
initiative, I now call upon houseowners to take down their Belgian
flags.
The Military Government, in putting this measure into effect, has
not the slightest intention of wounding the susceptibilities and
dignity of the citizens. It is intended solely to protect the
citizens against harm.
Brussels, September 16, 1914.
BARON VON LÜTTWITZ.
_General and Governor_.
Dined at the Palace in a din of German officers. Bulle, Pousette and
Riseis kept me in countenance. There were also some twenty or thirty
Austrian officers--the first we have seen. They were quiet and well
behaved, and contrasted sharply with their allies.
* * * * *
_Brussels, September 19, 1914._--This morning our Vice-Consul came in
from Ghent bringing with him a pouch and a huge bag of letters and
telegrams. These had been got through to him from Antwerp yesterday, and
he made a run through the lines early this morning, having been turned
back several times on account of small engagements between Belgian and
German outposts.
This morning a Dutchman came in to see me, and after showing me a lot of
papers, to establish that he was somebody entirely different, told me
that he was a British spy. He then launched into a long yarn about his
travels through the country and the things he had seen, unloading on me
a lot of military information or misinformation that he seemed anxious
to have me understand. After he had run down I asked why he had honoured
me with his confidence, and was somewhat startled to have him answer
that he had no way of getting it out and thought that inasmuch as we
were charged with the protection of British interests I might have an
opportunity to pass it on where it would do the most good. He seemed
rather pained at my remarks, and was most reproachful when I threw him
out on his head. Yes, my shrewd friend, it has also occurred to me that
he may have been a German spy just trying to find out whether we were
indulging in dirty work. It would not be the first time that that sort
of thing was tried on us.
Monseigneur N---- came around this afternoon and asked me to take him to
Antwerp on my next trip. I told him that I could not, as I had already
promised to take some other people, and that my car would be full. He
said that he had his own car, and that he would ask me to convoy him; he
had heard that I had "_beaucoup de bravourr, tandis que moi je n'ai pas
de bravourrrr et j'aimarais me mettre sous votre protection._" I sent
him to see von der Lancken, and he came back in a little while to say
that he was told that the only safe way was to go by Namur, Liège and
Holland, entering Antwerp from the north. He evidently insisted on a
perfectly safe route, that could be guaranteed, and they told him a
story that they thought would dissuade him from making the trip. They do
not like to have a lot of people coming and going.
We have no more news from the outside world; the battle still rages all
along the line in France (according to what we hear), but we have no
inkling as to whether the German retreat still continues. The only thing
we are told at headquarters is that the outcome is as yet undecided, but
that the Germans are in a favourable position, and that they will be
victorious in a few days. I would give a good deal for a little real
news as to how things are going.
This morning Major Langhorne, our Military Attaché from Berlin, breezed
in upon us. He is travelling around with six other Military Attachés,
seeing as much of the field of operations as the German officer who
personally conducts them will permit. They got in this morning, and left
about one, so we had only a few minutes' visit, and he carried off all
our good wishes and New York papers.
The German _affiche_ of yesterday, ordering the Belgian flags taken
down, has made everybody furious, and for a time we thought there might
be trouble. If the flags had been ordered down the day the Germans came
in there would not have been half as much resentment, but, on the
contrary, they began by proclaiming that the patriotic feelings of the
people would be scrupulously respected. Max, the Burgomaster, got out a
little proclamation of his own which served to soothe the feelings of
the people. After expressing some views as to the German order, he says:
I ask the population of the town to give a fresh example of
self-restraint and greatness of soul which it has already so often
shown during these sad days.
Let us provisionally accept the sacrifice which is imposed upon us;
let us take down our flags in order to avoid conflicts, and
patiently await the hour of redress.
Soon flags were coming down all over the city, and there was not a
murmur. An hour after Max's proclamation was posted, however, German
soldiers were running about covering them with sheets of white paper.
The Military authorities were furious, because Max had intimated in his
poster that the present situation would not endure forever, and that the
Belgian flag would fly again over Brussels. In their unimaginative way
they sent down a squad of soldiers and arrested him. He was taken to
headquarters, and brought before von Lüttwitz, who told him that he was
to be taken as a prisoner of war to Berlin. Max replied that he bowed
before superior force; that he had done what he knew to be necessary for
the preservation of order in his city, and that he was ready to accept
the consequences of his act; that at any rate he would have the
satisfaction of having maintained order here up to the minute that he
was sent to Germany, and that he could not be held responsible for what
might happen after his departure. General von Lüttwitz sat up and took
notice of the last part of this and rushed off to see von der Goltz. In
ten minutes he came back and told Max that he was free and that the
Field Marshal desired that he should continue to act as Burgomaster as
though nothing had happened. Why don't people have a little
imagination!!
The town is still bottled up, and troops are being marched back and
forth across it, as, I believe, purely for the purpose of impressing the
population with the belief that they are far more numerous than they
really are. Late this afternoon I took a drive to the edge of town, and
we were stopped half a dozen times and had our papers examined. From all
I can gather it would seem that the Germans are entrenching themselves
as solidly as they can so as to be ready to resist another sortie
without sustaining the terrible losses they suffered last time. They
cannot be very happy over the way things have been going in France,
although they have this afternoon announced a great victory on their
right wing.
One of our friends who has just come back from the coast reports that
there were a lot of French troops marching through Belgium on their way
from Dunkerque to Lille--evidently an attempt to turn the German right
wing. We have heard nothing more about it.
* * * * *
The food supply of the country is being rapidly exhausted and there is
urgent need for importations. The public knows little about the
situation, but a serious shortage threatens and we must have a
considerable stock from abroad. The Brussels committee has raised a
goodly sum of money and hopes to get food from Holland and England to
meet present needs. Similar committees are being formed in other cities,
and they, too, will require food from abroad. The local committee has
asked Shaler to go to Holland and from there to England to purchase as
much food as possible, make arrangements for sending it across the
frontier and investigate the chances of getting future supplies. The
German authorities have given assurances that they will not requisition
any of the supplies imported for the use of the civil population. They
are to issue placards signed by the Military Governor ordering the
military authorities to respect our purchases. These placards are to be
affixed to the cars and barges bringing in the supplies and we are
inclined to believe that they will be effective.
After hurried preparation Shaler got away this afternoon with young
Couchman by way of Liège. I went out to lunch with him and see him off.
It is not an easy task he has ahead, but he went to it with a good
heart.
Yesterday evening the Minister had an interview with Baron von der
Lancken about the question of my making a statement as to what I saw at
Louvain. I naturally am very reluctant to be brought into the affair,
but the Germans have been very insistent, and finally von der Lancken
said that he was confident that if he could talk with me for a few
minutes he could arrange the matter to the satisfaction of everybody. He
asked that I go to see him at the Ministry at half past six. I hurried
home and dressed for dinner, so as to be able to go straight to Mrs.
Z.'s, and then run over to the Ministry on the minute. The office of von
der Lancken was dark and empty. I waited in the chilly corridors for
twenty minutes and then went my way.
This morning one of his minions was here on another matter and I took
occasion to mention the fact that he had not been there when I called.
He came right back with the statement that they had come back from the
field particularly early, on my account, and had waited for me in vain
for nearly an hour. I assured them that I had been there on the minute
and had been in the office, and that there was no one there. Mystery! By
way of clinching it I said that the office was dark as the tomb. Then a
ray of light struck the German, and he said: "Oh, I see, you came at
half past six, Belgian time! Of course von der Lancken expected you at
half past six, German time!!!" When he asked me when I would call I felt
inclined to set eleven in the morning and then wander over at three in
the afternoon, with the statement that, of course, I did everything
according to New York time.
I had an hour's talk with von der Lancken about noon, and finally got
off without testifying, which is a great comfort to me. He knew from
their own troops that I had been in Louvain during the fighting, and
had already reported that to Berlin. I finally prevailed upon him to let
it go at that.
After we had settled our business, von der Lancken talked to me for half
an hour or so about the war in general. He said they had just received a
telegram that Reims is in flames, cathedral and all. It is a terrible
thing to think of, and I suppose may turn out to be another Louvain
before we get through. Von der Lancken explained it on the ground that
French troops had come up and occupied the town, and that it was
necessary to take it by storm--that troops could never operate against a
position of that sort until artillery had cleared the way. I don't know
just how far that sort of an explanation explains.
The Germans got out an _affiche_ of news this morning, stating that
"_les troupes Allemands ont fait des progrès sur certains points_." It
does not sound very enthusiastic.
People coming in from Mons and Charleroi yesterday and to-day say that
the German rear guard has fallen back on villages near those places and
ordered the inhabitants to leave; the idea evidently being that they are
preparing to resist any further advance of the allies.
After lunch, Baron de Menten de Horne was brought into the Legation
again. The Germans seem anxious to get rid of him, and have finally
turned him loose. I cannot very well make out their object in setting
him free without getting a German officer in exchange, but they were
keen to get him off their hands and wanted us to take cognisance of the
fact that they had accorded him his liberty. This we have done. I shall
be curious to see whether there is any sequel to this case.
Late this afternoon we got a telegram from the Consul at Liège, stating
that Shaler and Couchman had been arrested in that city because they
were carrying private letters to be posted when they got to England.
They had taken a certain number of letters, all of them open and
containing nothing but information as to the welfare of individuals
here. They were on a mission of interest to the German
authorities--getting foodstuffs to prevent a famine here. The Minister
got off an urgent telegram to the Consul to get to work and have them
released, and also saw von der Lancken about it, with the result that
the wires are hot. I hope to hear to-night that they are free. These are
parlous times to be travelling with correspondence.
I may have to get away any minute for Antwerp, to see if we cannot
arrange to get flour down here for the city. There is enough for only a
few days now, and there will be trouble when the bread gives out.
We have now been charged with Japanese interests; that makes six
Legations we have to look after.
* * * * *
_Wednesday._--Late yesterday afternoon I got a note from Princess
P---- de B----, asking me to go to see her. I got away from my toil and
troubles at seven, and went up to find out what was the matter. The old
lady was in a terrible state. A member of her immediate family married
the Duke of ----, a German who has always lived here a great deal. At
the beginning of the war, things got so hot for any one with any German
taint that they cleared out. For the last few days, German officers have
been coming to the house in uniform asking to see the Princess. The
servants have stood them off with the statement that she was out, but
she cannot keep that up indefinitely. They are undoubtedly anxious to
see her, in order to give her some messages from the ----'s, some of her
other relatives in Germany; but if it gets around town that she is
receiving officers in uniform the town will be up in arms, and the
lady's life would be made miserable whenever the Germans do get out. She
wanted me to start right away for Antwerp and take her along, so that
she could send her intendant around afterward to say that she was away
on a journey, and could not see the officers who had been sent to see
her. I laboured with her, and convinced her that the best thing was to
be absolutely frank. She is going to send her intendant around to see
von der Lancken, and explain to him frankly the embarrassment to which
she would be subjected by having to receive officers at her home. I am
sure that Lancken will realise the difficult situation the old lady is
in, and will find some way of calling his people off.
Went down to the Palace and had dinner with Pousette and Bulle and
Cavalcanti, who were full of such news as there is floating around the
town. There is a growing impression that the Germans do intend to invest
Antwerp, and the Belgians are apparently getting ready for that
contingency--by inundating a lot more of the country outside the ring of
forts.
At noon, day before yesterday, I found a man with a copy of the _London
Times_, and carried it in my overcoat pocket to the Palace Hotel when I
went there to lunch. Last night, a lot of German civil officials were
sitting at a table near by and holding forth in loud tones on the
punishment that should be meted out to people who had forbidden
newspapers in their possession. The most vehement one of the lot
expressed great indignation that the _Amerikanischer Legationsrath_ had
been seen in that very restaurant the day before with an English
newspaper in his overcoat pocket. Pretty good spy you have, Fritz.
A telegram has just been received from Liège, saying that Shaler and
Couchman have been released and are on their way to Holland. A Dutch
messenger was in after lunch, and told me that he had seen the two men
at headquarters yesterday afternoon, and that they were far from happy.
He said he did not blame them, as the Germans are dealing out summary
justice to anybody who falls into their hands that they do not take a
fancy to.
A.B. has been after me for a couple of days to take her up to the
château near Louvain, where Countess R. is left alone with twenty-eight
German officers quartered on her. A man cousin was sent up to defend
her, but was so badly frightened that he spent all his time in the
cellar and finally ran away and came back to Brussels. Now she wants to
go up to the rescue, and stay there. I have asked von der Lancken for a
pass, and shall try to take her up to-morrow. She certainly has good
nerve, but I am not sure how much protection she would be able to
afford.
The supply of flour is getting pretty well used up, and I may have to
clear out to-morrow afternoon or the next day to go to Antwerp and
negotiate to have some supplies sent down for the relief of the civil
population. The Government has volunteered to do this, if the Germans
would promise that the food would not be requisitioned for the troops.
We have been given these assurances, and it only remains for me to go up
and complete the arrangements.
When the Minister came back from Louvain he went over to headquarters
and talked about the subject of my trip to Antwerp. He has been nervous
about each of my trips and has worried a lot more about it than I have,
but when he saw von der Lancken, that worthy made things worse by saying
that there was artillery ready to begin business in every part of the
country I was to traverse and that it would be a very dangerous trip.
Now, the Minister is making superhuman efforts to find some other way to
get the letters and papers through to Antwerp.
A note has just come in from Princess P. de Z----, to say that she
followed my advice, and that everything has been settled with the German
authorities to her complete satisfaction. She is now easy in her mind.
* * * * *
_September 25th._--I spent all day yesterday sitting on the edge of my
chair waiting for a decision about my leaving for Antwerp, and by dark I
was a fit candidate for an asylum. At five o'clock the Minister went
around to see von der Lancken to get the _laisser-passer_. It was then
suggested that a letter could be sent around by way of Berlin and The
Hague. It would take a week or ten days to get an answer that way. Then
we argued the matter out again from the beginning, and after a quarter
of an hour of joint debate I went over to see von der Lancken and press
for the _laisser-passer_. He was in a _conseil de guerre_, but I had him
pulled out and put it up to him. He said it was then too late to get
anything last night, but that he would attend to it to-day. I am now
sitting on the same old edge of my chair waiting for action, so that I
can get away. I think that the trip by Namur, Liège and Maestricht,
which is the route prescribed, is a lot safer than the other two trips I
have made to Antwerp, which really were risky performances. Most of this
trip will be in peaceful Holland and I do not contemplate any sort of
trouble along the way.
By way of being ready I got passes from the Dutch Legation and the
Burgomaster yesterday afternoon, and now all I have to do is take the
German _Passierschein_ in my hand and start.
Yesterday evening I dined at the M.'s. Just the two of them and their
daughter, who is married to a French officer. As is the case everywhere
else, they talk nothing but war, and are most rabid. They have a
daughter in Germany, but she does not seem to enter into their
calculations, and all their thoughts are for France and Belgium. Their
son, who is in the Belgian cavalry, has just got his corporal's stripes
for gallantry in action. The old gentleman is bursting with pride.
During the evening another old chap came in with a letter from his son,
who is in young M.'s regiment; he had some very nice things to say about
the young man's behaviour, and there was a great popular rejoicing.
The _London Times_ came in during the evening, and there was a great
revamping of war maps to correspond with the latest movement of troops.
The daughter keeps the maps up to date, and does it very well, having
picked up some training from her husband. She has different coloured
lines for each day's progress and it is easy to see at a glance just how
the positions compare for any given times.
This morning the Germans have big placards up all over town, trying to
explain their action in burning Reims Cathedral. They are doing a lot of
explaining these days.
* * * * *
_Brussels, September 26, 1914._--My departure for Antwerp has been put
off again and again, but if the German authorities live up to their
promises, I shall be able to start to-morrow morning early. At the last
minute the mothers of Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock decided to avail of the
opportunity to go home, so I shall take them as far as Rotterdam before
going to Antwerp. I shall attend to my business there and then go back
to Rotterdam, take the ladies over to England, turn them over to Mr.
N----, spend a day or two there getting a line on the news, and then
rush back to Antwerp, and then back to Brussels. I suppose I shall be
away ten days or so, but there is no way of telling. I should like the
little trip to England and a breath of air in a country where there is
no actual fighting.
It is now half past eight and there is no telling when this family will
sit down to dine. The Burgomaster has indulged in some more repartee
with the German authorities, and they, with their usual _finesse_, have
put him in prison. Yesterday the Germans got out a proclamation
announcing that since the city of Brussels had not settled
"voluntarily," the whole of the forced loan imposed upon her no more
requisitions should be paid in cash, as had been promised.[8] Max
thereupon sat down and wrote a letter to the banks, saying that they
were to pay nothing on the forced loan unless and until the Germans
conformed to their part of the agreement. He further annoyed the Germans
by putting up an _affiche_, giving the lie to a proclamation of the
Governor of Liège:
The German Governor of the town of Liège, Lieutenant-General von
Kolewe, caused the following notice to be posted yesterday:
"_To the inhabitants of the town of Liège._
"The Burgomaster of Brussels has informed the German Commander that
the French Government has declared to the Belgian Government the
impossibility of giving them any offensive assistance whatever, as
they themselves are forced to adopt the defensive."
_I absolutely deny this assertion._
ADOLPHE MAX,
_Burgomaster._
[Footnote 8: The German point of view was set forth in the following
official notice:
"The German Government had ordered the cash payment of requisition,
naturally believing that the city would voluntarily pay the whole
of the forced payment (_contribution de guerre_) imposed upon it.
"It was only this condition that could justify the favoured
treatment enjoyed by Brussels, as distinguished from the other
cities of Belgium which will not have their requisition orders
settled until after the conclusion of peace.
"Inasmuch as the city administration of Brussels refuses to settle
the remainder of the forced payment, from this day forward no
requisition will be settled in cash by the Government treasury.
"The Military Governor,
BARON VON LÜTTWITZ,
_Major-General_"
Brussels, September 24, 1914.]
Lüttwitz replied to this by having Max arrested, and the present
prospect is that he is to be sent to Germany as a prisoner of war. That
is not very comforting for us, as he has been a very calming influence,
and has kept the population of Brussels well in hand. If they do send
him away, the Germans will do a very stupid thing from their own point
of view, and will make Max a popular hero everywhere.
Early this evening Monsieur Lemonnier, the Senior Alderman, came around
with several of his colleagues, and laid the matter before Mr. Whitlock
and the Spanish Minister. They immediately went over to see General von
Lüttwitz to see whether there was anything to be done for Max, but as
they have been gone a long time, I fear they are going through one of
those long and thoroughly unsatisfactory discussions that get nowhere.
Monsieur Lemonnier is waiting in my office to hear the result of the
visit to Lüttwitz. He is naturally far from cheerful, and looks forward
with a good deal of dread to taking over the reins if Max is sent to
Germany. He, of course, foresees that the chances are in favour of his
following Max into exile sooner or later, if he tries to do his duty. As
to his own future he says only--"I succeed only to the troubles of the
office--_Max a bien emporté sa gloire avec lui._" The life of a Belgian
official these days is anything but comfortable.
* * * * *