THE FUTURE OF BELGIUM

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 September 1915, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF BELGIUM

Speaking at a Belgian Relief meeting in London, M. Emile Cammaerts, a prominent Belgian, said that circumstances admitting, Belgium has a great future before her. He had heen frequently asked whether Belgium could revive when the Germans were driven out of it; his answer was that if the Germans were driven out Belgium would revive ; of that he had no doubt. True they had lost many of their male population, both in the army and among civilians, but sad as the number was, say 100,000 in all, the number was not sufficiently large to affect the economic conditions of the country permanently, when they remembered that before the war the population of Belgium was 8,500,000. As for the material losses which had been sustained they were undoubtedly heavy; nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that the main source of the country's wealth lay in its soil and in its mines.- That wealth Germany could not carry away when driven over the border. Nor need they tear that of those who had fled the country large numbers would remain in voluntary exile. Many of the refugees were peasants, who were small holders of land, and they would return to their possessions at the earliest moment. As a people they had common national aspirations rooted in the traditions of the past, They had surmounted difficulties before, and could, and would do so again.

I cannot sing the old sweet songs Which I .should sing to-night, I've lost my voice, and have no choice, Because of bronchial blight ; « But very soon I'll be in tune, And sing them all, be sure. I'll change my moans to dulcet tones, With Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.