BELGIAN'S HOT ANGER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 153, 24 November 1914, Page 2

BELGIAN'S HOT ANGER.

i NOT MEX>, BUT BEASTS. The following letter lias been received by a Sydney firm from a largo glass manufacturer in Belgium, who does an extensive trade with Australasia. It is addressed from Blenkenberghe, and dated August 30, 1914: —■ "Since my last letter to you terrible events have taken place in my country, , the like of which I make bold to say • have never before happened during the j history of the world. Our small but val- •( iant army of 40,000 men lias maintained the front of the Meusc for fifteen days against a force of Germans numbering 130,000. > "Our soldiers delivered a terrible blow against the Germans, but were at last compelled to retire to Antwerp, our last • fortress, but the desire was fulfilled, as during those fifteen days our brave allies, the British and French, were proparing to deal with the heavy blow on the Germans. There is very little left of our country; nearly everything is destroyed; the vandals leave nothing behind them but ruin and desolation. They set fire to everything; they ravage our women and wound and chop up our civilians, and force them to walk in front of the army before battle. "I have seen myself—(l) A child who was holding a toy tin gun at the Germans was shot for doing so; (2) two German officers, after commandeering a good, free feed, tried to ravage the wife and daughter of the restaurant-keeper. One of these officers was shot by one of the sons. The next day the whole family was shot for revenge. "These Germans respect nothing at all; for mere trifies they shoot civilians. For our own part, I had to clear out to the coast, and from there I may have to go to England. Yesterday I received a message from a cyclist that 00,000 Germans had passed through Manage. As they were in a great hurry, they did not commit outrages. Fortunately, my factory and homo being oft' the* main road, are safe. "At the moment the French and British soldiers aro retreating to take a good stand, and then will wear out the Germans. To annihilate them is impossible, as they are too numerous and well equipped. Russia is proving a great help. "The killed on both sides is enormous, the Germans suffering the most on account of being the attackers. I have seen '3O large French motor waggons full of German dead which they picked up near my home, and wlicrc they repulsed the enemy and were burying them in large holes. 'This was a most terrible sight. It was then that I decided to send my family away with just a few necessary things. "Wc Belgians will never forget, and I can say that a Belgian will never again shake hands with a German. They are not men, but wild beasts. If we live through this trouble our trade will bo jjreatly increased, and many firms and Factories will be made to start again, iVith no money and very little labour, tfo reliable finn will deal with the Gernans after the war, which will bo pro-iiahk-tfl-ihe allies. I am only signing j.