The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1915. HELP THE BRAVE BELGIANS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 January 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1915. HELP THE BRAVE BELGIANS.

Jho .Belgians are in- a pitiable plight. 1 heir homes are wrecked or destroyed by lire; their industries stopped; poverty and keen distress exists everywhere; famine is at their doors; disease and death are stalking through the land, and 'tis a stony heart that will not sympathise with and send help to them. Here in New Zealand we are in comfortable circumstances. We ■scarcely feel the awful blast of war which is sweeping over Europe, and Belgium espocially. "We are beyond hearing the wails of distress and mourning, or seeing the awful tragedies enacted every day amidst peaceful, industrious people. 'Tis well. But are the sufferings of these people stirring our hearts to do all we can to alleviate their sorrow? We talk about brave little Belgium ; we acknowledge that their heroic stand against German aggression saved Franc© from humiliation and England from fierce attack ; we read the stoiTes of how valiantly our soldiers are fighting to beat the enemy back, and pride ourselves on their endurance in the trenches, their cheerfulness amidst hardship, and their courage under a Kail of shot and shell—all quite justifiable, of course. We, in New Zealand, may be said to have responded handsomely in money and;' clothing, but wo must riot" consider that all lias been done that is needed. We must not relax our efforts There is just as much need for help now as in the closing months of last year. We have passed through the Christmas holidays during which there was no lack in feasting and amusement, and there is 110 reason to fear a business slump in the near future. Tll fact, as a farming community we may look forward to a prosperous year. We must remember that what we do for the people of Belgium should not bo looked upon as charity. It is gratitude which should prompt us, for standing to their guns and defying the German hordes, while France and Britain were preparing to join the fray. The heroic stand of the Belgians brings to mind' the story, told m verse, of how Horatius held the bridge'"in tho brave days of old," and wo are in honour bound to succour them in their sore straits. Had it not been for their sturdy defence the Allies would not be where they are to-day. Belgium would have become a German possession; France would have been perhaps in ns sore straits as in 1870; and England would have been bombarded from the French ooast line. We owe tho Belgians a great deal, therefore let us not grow weary in sending liberally to their aid.