LOUVAIN'S NEW LIBRARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 24 July 1929, Page 5

LOUVAIN'S NEW LIBRARY

NOBLE BUILDING REPLACES WAR RUIN GERMANY GIVES MANY BOOKS A few days ago the cables stated that the. library at Louvaiu University, which was destroyed in the war. had been i reopened. The new books include 650,000 volumes contributed by various nations. Germany lias contributed 300,000 volumes, Britain 55,000, and France. 33.000 of the total. ' ' The new library of the University of Louvaiu was designed by Mr Whitney Warren, a New York architect. The cost of the building. £400.000, including a sum for endowment, was raised in the United States. A carillon thai cost £16,000 was given by the engineers of America. TROUBLE OVER. INSCRIPTION A.crowd of more than "000 workmen and students' on 27th June last year stormed the library and destroyed a new memorial balustrade. The university authorities had refused to allow the inscription: "Destroyed by German fury, restorer!, by American generosity." to be placed on the balustrade. The demonstrators .stoned the men who were working in the building" and put them to flight. The architect said Cardinal Merrier desired tbe inscription quoted to appear on th 0 'balustrade. Oh the other hand, 'Monsiguor La Denze, rector of the university, declared it would he contrary to the spirit of. Locarno. On 30th Juno it was announced that the construction had been commenced of the balcony without th ( > inscription which the demonstrators had demanded should be placed oil the'balustrade. The police protected the workers. After the annual procession on 17ih July of the widows and orphans of Ihe Lotivain inon who were shot by the Germans in. 1914. Felix Morten, Foreman in charge of Iho reconstruction of the university library, ascended to the roof willi a, slecige hammer and demolished the now balcony, which had been erected• without the anti-German inscription at lirsl designed for it. When Mnm.>n was arrested he fold the Public P'vserutor ho considered he was wrong in helping io rebuild the balcony, fie added: "The Germans led us a pretty dance., and (hat balcony meant Furgettinu it ail."