The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY OCTOBER 13, 1914. BELGIUM’S GALLANT KING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 48, 13 October 1914, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY OCTOBER 13, 1914. BELGIUM’S GALLANT KING.

Possibly to-day in the eyes of the whole world no Monarch stands higher in the people’s love and estimation, and in their conception of what a true monarch should bo than does King Albert of Belgium. The story of his' great courage, high patriotism and the fine sense of honor which has been unfolded with the events of she horrid war now proceeding, has thrilled Christendom. It is only about live years since Albert succeeded King Leopold of Belgium, who during a reign of forty-four years showed the most callous indifference to the feeling of his subjects, and when Albert succeeded him he had to face tfie undoubtedly difficult task of not only making himself at all possible to a properly aggrieved and discontented people, but of again building up a sense of loyalty to the throne almost from the beginning. When Leopold died, Albert, eldest son of the Count and Countess of Flanders was a young man of thirty-five years. He is the second nephew of King Leopold whose only son died at an early age, and Albert, as heir to the throne, received some special preparation for his career. Of fine descent he appears to have maintained true Flemish ideals and to have displayed unusual intellectual ability. Under the best masters bo passed through the various grades of the military profession, and especially distinguished himself in- engineering. At twenty-five years of ago he married a Bavarian Duchess, who has proved herself a fitting Queen for such a monarch. As much as possible, even during the late King’s reign, he took an active interest and part in public affairs, and turned his back on the extravagancies, frivolity and hollowness of court life as existed in the days of Leopold. It is stated by chroniclers that even before he came to the throne his life and character had most favourably impressed themselves upon his future subjects, and he is said to have been the first Belgian King to have approached his people with words of sympathy and encouragement for the workers. It is affirmed that all along the King’s sense of duty has always been paramount. The simplicity of his character and his domestic life have endeared him to his subjects; and when he reached the throne it was said openly in Belgium that the reign of fear established by Leopold had passed, and that the new reign would be one of mutual assistance and mutual friendliness between the King and his subjects. And this promise has been amply fulfilled. Before the first year of King Albert’s reign was finished, it was felt that the wall that had separated the Belgian people from the Belgian Throne had been broken down. “The King and Queen,” it was said, “are seen everywhere, they are interested in every department of public activity.’ In his inaugural speech Albert fed his people: “We must develop in our children’s hearts the love of the native land, the love of our family, the love of all that is good ; these aro the virtues that moke nations

strong.” So far as his foreign policy has been concerned, King Albert has been successful in preserving friendly relations with all his neighbour?, and succeeded in drawing much closer to England, whose sympathy, to a large extent, had been alienated from Belgium through the unscrupul ms conduct of King Leopold and ine revelations of misrule in the Gofigo legions. King Albert has made known the fact that ho regards England as ‘'the traditional and natural guardian of Belgium’s independence,” and he has acted accordingly. With the noble men of his belovei country King Albert has seen dark days of late, but sooner than submit to the brutal bully of Potsdam aho by sheet weight and force of arms has sought to trample on every right and justice and honourable feeling which a fiee people cling to as their very life, Albert is prepared to die famng Ins country’s ruthless foetnen, for whom there is surely a iiea ’y reckoning *n the days to oome.