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Show WHIROCK ASKED TO LOWER "OLD GLOBY" Action of German Authorities Authori-ties in Belgium Resented in Washington. LONDON, Feb. 15, 6:l p. m. Representatives of tae American commission for relief in Belgium will not withdraw from the occupied occu-pied portions of Belgium and northern north-ern France, as previously had been arranged, but will remain for the present, it is now stated. WASHINGTON. Feb. 15. State department de-partment advices today reported officially that Brand Whitlock, American minister to Belgium, had been requested, but not ordered, by the German military authorities authori-ties to lower the American flag from the legation in Brussels. While tile news aroused dep feelin? in j official quarters and iidniillcdly added to the tension of the situation with Germany, Ger-many, il appeared donblful whether thfte was ground for takiue any action, as Mr. Whillouli while In Belgium has piaciical-lv piaciical-lv onlv represented the Amerh-uti relief work. ' The seat of tic Belgian government govern-ment now is ai Havre, France. The department's advices made no mention of American relief workers he-ing he-ing held prisoners and officials nhared the view of Herbert C. Hoover, chairman of the American commission, that if was improbable. As to the Hag incident, it seemed to be regarded by officials as more sentimental than actually serious, although it did arouse some feeling. State department officials took the view that the German military authorities were acting strictly within their rights. The American minister is accredited to the Belgian government, not to Belgium as a geographical unit, and the seat of the Beleian government is at Havre. Mr. WhUlock remained at Brussels by permission per-mission of tho German government to take part in the relief work, and the American legation building for all diplomatic diplo-matic purposes ceased to be a legation. Whether Mr. Whitlock will continue on in Brussels as one of the four Americans permitted to continue there in tile administration ad-ministration of Belgian relief work or whether he will be transferred to his official of-ficial position as minister to the Belgian government at Havre lias not been decided. |