h. There are quantities of
Germans who have lived here all their lives, who are really more Belgian
than German, have no interest in the present conflict and are threatened
with financial ruin if they leave their interests here, and it is pretty
hard on them if they are to be obliged to get out, but they are only a
few of the many, many thousands who are suffering indirectly from the
effects of the war. It is not any easier for the manufacturers in the
neighbourhood of Liege, who will see the work of many years wiped out by
the present hostilities. Some inspired idiot inserted in the papers
yesterday the news that the Legation was attending to the repatriation
of German subjects and the consequence is that our hallways have been
jammed with Germans all day, making uncouth noises and trying to argue
with us as to whether or not we are in charge of German interests. The
mere fact that we deny it is not enough for them! I suppose that the
hallways will continue to sound like a celebration of Kaisersgeburtstag
until we have sent off the last of them.

This morning a large, badly frightened darkey came in looking for a
passport. He awaited his turn very quietly, and grew visibly more and
more apprehensive at the long series of questions asked of the people
ahead of him. When he moved up to the desk, the first question was:

"Where do you want to go?"

"Jes as fur as the stature of Libbuty."

"Are you an American citizen?"

"Me? Lawd bless yuh! No, I ain't nuthin' but a plain ole Baltimoh coon."

Then they gave him the usual blank to fill out. One of the questions on
it was:

"Why do you desire to return to the United States?"

Without any hesitation he wrote:

"I am very much interested in my home at the present time."

Everybody here is intensely curious as to what has become of the British
army; the most generally accepted story is that troops have been landed
at Calais, Dunkirk and Ostend, but although this is generally believed,
there seems to be absolutely no official confirmation of it. Everyone
seems to take it for granted that the British will turn up in good form
when the right time comes, and that when they do turn up, it will have a
good effect. If they can get to the scene of hostilities without everybody
knowing about it, it increases by just so much their chances of success
and anyone that knows anything at all is keeping mum and hoping that no
British soldier will stumble over a chair and make a noi