wish to be sent to England. All their friends, all their interests were in Belgium. More than a few, born of British parents in Belgium, spoke only French and had never seen England. So the deportation order was rescinded, property was reclaimed whenever possible, and matters went on as they had gone aforetime.

"Many portraits were to be seen of the Belgian king, queen and princes. Belgian flags as well as American welcomed me everywhere and all these were allowed to be sold in the shops. No picture is more conspicuous in all Belgium than that of Minister Brand Whitlock, who commands not only the love of the Belgians but the respect of both Germans and Allies. This I found especially on my return through the lines of both. When I returned Mr. Whitlock gave me a letter addressed to English custom house and other officials. Mr. Whitlock, representing His Britannic Majesty's interests in Belgium, requested all to give me special courtesies as an American citizen. With this letter I found how much respect he commanded from the Germans as well as British. Art galleries and museums, of which Brussels is justly proud, are all kept open and well ordered. In each of these that I visited were many Belgians as well as Germans, and the institutions are directed by native authorities.

"Hospitals, of course, are chiefly devoted to care of the wounded. The attendance is mainly military, the appliances are modern and the arrange

ments complete and sanitary. Bandage supplies are practically exhausted. Wounded limbs are protected but fly-screens and the wounds themselves are washed and padded with wood pulp, a method which has shown excellent results.

"Yet the machinery of German control is perfect. One million Belgians of military age must report each week. Thousands of French, Italian, English and other belligerents must report once a month. Two thousand women of ill repute must report to the Saint Gilles hospital. No one may travel without a pass containing photograph. No passes are issued to residents of enemy countries except by day, week or month.

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Belgium is being Germanized. The names of towns on railways are now spelled in the German language. For instance, Liège is Lüttich; Bruxelles is Brüssel, etc. All clocks exposed to public view must show German time. Little mail is permitted to enter Belgium from Holland or Switzerland and none from elsewhere. A proper address, for example, would read: —, Brüssel,

Belgien.'

"There are in all Belgium only about three hundred Americans including seventy members of the C. R. B. and the United States legation.

"The scarcity and irregularity of food was evidenced differently in the various towns. In Marchiennes-au-Pont there was a quantity of rice, beans and potatoes but it was very difficult to procure lard or pork with which to prepare soup. In

Lodelinsart no sugar was available. In Forchiesla-Marche there was no food but potatoes. In Bracquinnies we could get no sugar. Thus was it in every locality because of the Commission's difficulties in distribution.

"The vegetable called in Belgium 'secum' was served at almost every meal. This legume is prepared as a salad similar to young green onions and, when cooked, resembles in appearance asparagus, although the taste is not the same. Belgium, perhaps, is the only country to make use of 'secum.' No one commodity is more scarce than soap, fat being practically an unknown quantity. While railroading a conversation was overheard by which it appeared that soap was so much needed back in rural Limburg that butter was used in its manufacture.

"When first I arrived in Belgium the bread was chiefly white. But it gradually became darker and darker in color because of the whole wheat flour. Potato peelings, I understand, are employed in making flour and, when people come for potatoes, they must bring along the peelings. If some of our well-to-do Americans had to exist on food improperly cooked for lack of correct ingredients to make it palatable or if they should find it impossible to secure nourishment sufficient for themselves and their children, they would be more ready to help in this crisis. Place yourselves in their position. How would you like it? My heart aches for the poor and hungry of Belgium. Of