"THE DAY" IN BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 52, 26 November 1918, Page 5

"THE DAY" IN BELGIUM

KING ALBERT'S RETURN TO HIS CAPITAL

TRIBUTE TO A BRAVE NATION

(Contributed by tlio Hon. T. M. Wilford.)

There was "The Day," foretold by yours ami you- ' • In whispers hero niid llicro with beery clamours, You nnd your rat-hole spice and blustering crew of Loud Potedamers.

And lo,' there dawns another swift and When on the .wheels of wrath, by Justice token; ' i „ Breaker of God's own Peace, you shall in turn yourself be broken. -Owen Seaman.

On November 23, 1918, Albert, the illustrious and tried King oi the Belgians, the idol'of those who honour truth and steadfastness, ie-entered Brussels of'world-wide fame and history. ■ On the old Flemish shields in the Brussels Museum is the ancient motto: "Ons Volk Zal Jlooit Vergann, which, being translated, means "Our people ■ shall never perish," and true as death has that motto been proved in this great world war. . On August i, 1911-mark well the day -King Albert, used the words to his people which have become the solace ot the Belgians in their darkest.hours. , He (■aid, says Odon Halasi, "Un.peuplc qiii se defend, ne perit pas" (a nation which defends itself, does not perish).. With these words on his lips he left Brussels in 1914, tft fight, for the world, and tor more than four long weary years he ami his brave people have waited for the Oil his march to Brussels he would pass through Client, where the Cathedra of St. Bavon with the famous bell Roland would chime for victory in Flanders. Let us try and conceive what a day it was for Belgium. Let us consider the feelings of those true people of Belgium who for more than four years have groanejl under jackboot Pru.ssianisin and German kiiltur. All' Belgium, is decorated and beflagged as.it has never been before. In Ma'lines, where that noble, fearless character, the Priina> of Belgium, Cardinal Jlercier, lives, one can picture the scene. In tho Cathedral of Mnlines is the famous Chaire de Vcrite and the famous tower with its 554- steps leading to ,'the top. This tower has one of the finest carillon in the world and the most skilful bellringer of Brabant before the war—Jof Deiiyn. The carillon is composed of 6G bells. ' ■ ! ' •■

I was in Brussels in 1903, and saw the famous buildings and parks there, ■and visited Broine-L'Alleud, where the field of Waterloo lies some five miles from the village of Waterloo, and can picture the scenes in Brussels 'fimcfed in the Place Rogier near the Gare dn Nnrd, in the Place. Broquere, which has been a prohibited area for civilians for more than four years, around the "Anspach" coinmn, on the steps'of- which 300 soldiers can stand, around the statue of Jenneval, tlie poet who wrote the national anthem, the Rrabaconne, in the Church of St. Gudule, and in the famous Bois de la. Ca'nibre, and \%st, but not least, on the field of Waterloo itself. ( For four years the Germans have operated in the midst of a hostile and irreconcilable people, who have waited for the day which has now come. And how they hate the Germans only those who have lived there can reallr .say. Neutral writers tell us ranch, and if half is true Germany will realise to the •full that anything Teuton for generations to come will be anathema to Belgium. How well Owen Seaman puts it when he writes:— ' ...

What would it servo you, though'your end were won, . . And Earth, wef-e made a mat to wipe your boot on,

If every decent race heneath the Bun , Spits for contempt upon the name of Teuton., > King Albert has seen "the powers of darkness put to flight and "will see the morning break," Our Debt to Belgium. And what do we owe to Belgium? We owe the winning of the war. Belgium at Liege, under the gallant General Leman 'with his handful of men, held the German hordes and gave the British' time to land "the first seven divisions." Never let us forget the gallant defence of Liege and the retreat from Antwerp. Never let us forget the arrest of tho German vandals'at the outset of the war, which dislocated every German plan and upset every German calculation. . Never let us forget how the "hold up" at : Liege, notwithstanding the swift march through Luxemburg by the Germans gave Prance the breathing-time which she sorely needed, and how the atrocities in Belgium helped to decide the entry of Italy into the war on the side of the Allies. And do not forget that the neutrality of Italy at the beginning of the war, largely through the violation of the neutrality of Belgium, freed nearly half a million French troops from the "borders of France and Italy and enabled them to be used at the Marne in 191-1. Belgium was largely answerable ,for the neutrality of Italy. Then let us remember that Belgium has held part of the Western front for over four years and has never been beaten. Here again never forget King Albert's words, "A nation which defends itself does not perish."

What She Has Suffered. What has been the life of -the Belgians during the past four years? To answer that question one has only to turn to the "Voice of Belgium," the war utterances of Cardinal Mwcier; "Under the German Heel," by that famoue Hun-, garian writer, Odon Halasi; the speeches of M. Adolph; Max, the brave Burgo'inaeter of.Brussels; the words of the famous Erno Lovass, a Magyar gentleman who spent eighteen months in Belgium during the war; "The Imprisonment of the Ghent Professors," by Dr. Nyrop, the Copenhagen professor; "Tho German Mole," by Jules Claes, the editor of "La .Metropolis" in Antwerp; "Some Aspects of the War," by S. Perez Trinna, of The Hague Arbitration Court; "The Barbarians in Belgium," by Pierre Nathomb; and "False- Witness," by Johannes Jorgensen, to realise that, there is a greater suffering than death, and a mental torture which can drive men and women insane. All of which Belgium has known.

Cardinal Bourne, Archbishop of Westminster, in his preface to .the "Voice of Belgium," says:—"History hardly shows us a country more terribly tried than L'elgium has been in the last three years. Peaceful, thrifty, seoiningly outside the region of strife'of the great European Powers, no country has a greater right to undisturbed possession and enjoyment of freedom and self-government. Ruthless might, unhampered by any thought or recognition of plighted word or national obligation, has infliqted on the Belgian people, a martyrdom the memory of which can never wholly pass away. That martyrdom has brought to light hidden heroism, and has revealed courage unsurpassed in any conflict, of the past." "The supernatural' fortitude drawn from tho Altar of the Daily Sacrifice" is referred to also by Cardinal Bourne. "On October 10, 191S, Cardinal Merrier wrote , to General' von Hissing asking whether deportations were taking place from Liege, Namur, and Charleroi into Germany. General von Bissing wrote these words to Cardinal Mereier: "Young men need liave no fear' Mint they will be taken uwav into Germany, cither to be enrolled in tiic Army there or to be employed on forced labour of any kind." This statement was read aloud in all churches of the province. Baron von der Goltz made the same promise in the presence of three witnesses. During tho whokr. of this time thousands of men were being deported into Germany and made to work both on military railways and in the mines.

Reparation! King Albert returns to Brussels with this, knowledge-and witli the power of exacting reparation. The murder of priests and nuns and the violation of innocent young girls has been proved of the German blond boasts, mid King Albert knows of these acts and is now in the position to demand reparation. General von Bissing is dead, and Nurse CnvcH'fl murderer therefore escapes, biit those answerable for the murder of Captain Pry'stt aro still alivo and accountable. King Albert knows this and will act, and will do all in his power to

isttuinch the wounds of Belgium. ■ July 21 is the National Day of Belgium. May ltiiiff Albert be able by Hint day to show that reparation has been made. And what of Antwerp and its great port now that .Belgium lias boon evacuated? "Antwerp," says Clacs, "is the German pistol aimed at England's heart." Wo can now say that it was the German pistol fio aimed, but is no longer. Thorman and Goestscli wrote that in (i foil" years the world would see the Gorman flag flying over 8(1,000,000 Germans who woujd govern a territory containing 130,000,000 Europeans. That dream is ended.

At least wo cannot say wo were not warned. Will we take warning now after (he lessons we 'have hail? For there is 110 doubt that Germany will Iry again. Even though German militarism is temporarily destroyed the aggressiveness of Germany will still live. Kvery German commercial traveller will in the future be used for future economic domination. This is plain and incontrovertible. Hoiv many will hold aloft the torch of memory in years to come? Before war broke out the port of Antwerp was practically Geniuui-controllcd. At the end of Jniy, 1911, one of the German potentates of Antwerp was on nineteen boards of management of Belgian companies, one of his sons on seven, another on five, another on eight, and a relative on eight. The port of Antwerp before the German invasion received an average of COO ships a day as arrivals; and on an average 1500 railway trucks a day left tho docks for various parts (if the country, filled with goods. Until this month—through the British blockade— only a few ships of tho RotterdamSchelde Line pass.in and out occasionally. A few American ships have occasionally arrived with food, and the training .'hip Comte de Flandres has been stationed there. Soon this great port will pulso with world Activity again.: But mingled with the jov of delivery and liberation will be found the 'sorrow' of .the stricken country; and though ■ the occasion of the entry into Brussels is one which is a joy to the Allie.s, with that joy will bo found tho thought of Loitvain. and Malines and Dinant, and the sufferings of the Belgian peonlo for four long weary years. During these years tho women of Brussels have worn three red berries with black crepe to "symbolise the mourning of their souls," and also the daisy to suggest the orphan stato of the nation, while the inhabitants of Liege have worn tho pansy,for the same reason. "La Libre Belgique."' This article will not bn.complete without a reference to "La. Libre Belgique," the little news-sheet published first of all-on February 1, 1015, in defiance of the Gorman control and regardless of rewards offered for the discovery of its proprietors or editors. Every issue has found its way on to the desk of the Military Governor, and while von Bissing occupied that position and was offering a lingo reward for information that would enable liini to suppress it an edition was issued with his photograph on tho front page, and the words, "General von Biasing reading his favourite newspaper," printed underneath: When General von Bissing offered, the reward already referred to thousands of anonymous letters reached him giving him misleading information purposely. This little paper was the joy of the Belgian people, and any copy still held will be a treasure to-day. "La Libre Belgique" exposed alleged German victories and tore German propaganda to shreds. "La Patrie" and "Verito" were two other publications - wliich the loyal Belgians printed at odd times to expose Gorman untruths. Do not forget that now for i:he first time in four years the Belgians are free from the domineering, brutal militaerpolizei, or military police, who with their brass plates on their chests, and with their swords and heavy revolvers have been nn open soro for the long weary years. Tlip removal of all German posters from every wall in every Belgian town will be a change of infinite relief to the Belgians, while the order signed by tho ex-Governor of Belgium, .Baron von Luettwitz, that all people must remove all flags from their homes under heavy penalties will bo removed at last.

Over every German proclamation placard in, the last t two years have been j placed by the Belgians a little yellow label two inches wide and three ii.ehes in length with words in French which say "Do not read. German j reclamations" ; and when the Governor caused placards to bo posted round Brussels warning the nopulace against the placing of such labels on German proclamations the delight of the people knew no bounds when the following morning all these placards were found to have pasted on them the forbidden yellow notice. I

The spirit of the Belgians never died, though many Belgians died through their determination not to be entirely submerged. All through the long and weary wait the Belgians have declined to un-v derstand the German language. lf> a Belgian was addressed in any language but French he legretted he could not understand. And ,so the 'struggle went on. The Germans at last know they.are hated with "the silent hatred of the helpless captivi;." One cannot wonder if when the Germans leave Brussels everything will not burst into llame, and tho long-pent-up' hatred find expression in vengeance to the cowards and traitors who have held the reins' since 1911. There are a few Belgians who have given in to the Germans and have erected German signs over their shops. They will have to leave with the Germans. One of them had six fires in his premises in six months, and no German company would cover his risk*

There is one thing the people of Brussels are united in—even the most advanced Socialists—and that is their pure and honest devotion to their King. We must not forget the hunger which has been the lot of the Belgians for many, many months. As a lesult of a London. Conference a Commission for Belgian Relief was founded. This commission consisted of 72 members, four of them Spaniards and tho rest American. All the officers, from Mr. Hoover, the president, downwards, worked without pay. When wo realise that 00,000 tons of wheat or grain, 10,000 lons of rice, 5000 tons of beans, 1200-tons of lard or fat, 1200 tons of tinned meat, 1200 tons of tinned fish, and 300 tons of condensed milk were required every month—T repeat, every montli-r-it will be r.ppii how serious was the food problem. The exnenditnre of tho society reached r C1,000,000 per month.

Belgium a Nation, Not a Road. Again let me say that the Belgians will never forget that they have taught Germany that Belgium is a nation and not a road; and let mo ajso say that Kins Albert will, with his people, appreciate to the full the part played by the Allies on behalf of Belgium; mil in return I am sure the Allies will never forget the heroic attitude of a nation which though temporarilv crushed has rever been beaten. The world at large, including the Central Powers, have also, 1 am sum, realised that a nation which loves nud reverences a "cad enthroned" is dangerms if Ireated with l>l iml toleration. T.t would be well fc (lie llcljjinns In paw a law preventing Ciennnn ownersliin of land in PMgium in the future. On, December 2:).' 1914 those linos ai>-. wired in l;li» English im»"v S , written."l Jjflieve. by Iho editor of "Punch." They were supno?°d I" be the word? fif an old sea dog to the Herman Navy. They are worth rPiiroductioi):— Ooiie wlien you will—'Hie snaa are wi<K Ami choose your Ba^— lhcv'rn , !"'! alike. you'll "lid us ready wjwc we vidn In .dim O" storm and .wait to stvilip; Bi't. if of sliame your shameless Uuns Pl"ise flffht our.men and shins-ami (runs, Not womenfolk and watering place's. Long live br.ive little Belgium and its brave Kijig Albert.