The Daily News. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1918. THE DELIVERANCE OF BELGIUM.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1918. THE DELIVERANCE OF BELGIUM.

. At last Belgium has again come into her own. What the feelings o- population are can readily be imagined, and the scenes of enthusiasm testify to t;. O feeling oi iiicen-o thani. fulness thai the enemy has been driven >rom rj-j)-f iaa ' ian-iiory. lie;- splendid bravery m reasthig tie first onrash of the will make a. proad eiiapter in iiisior-y. and the; 'wi'Oie civilised t voriel ' will hold tlie Belgians Iv. high honor, The price- sh? liny had to pay hcifi been rezj heavy, br; this brave little country has never flinched, from the tardea and lu;:- soldiers have, throughout tile \f&r, proved their valo. v and. dei.ennmation on victory. Nov/ they are reaping the reward of that victory which has driven the arrogant and remorseless foo from the regions he lord07«r witn a heavy Hand, robr>iv%, despoiling and ravishing at wilJ. No compensation, however large, car be too great for the foul vrrongs Bcligum lias suffered at the hsnds of the Germans, who, had they been victorious, ■\vonhi have kept the Belgians in bondage and permanently taken possession of the country. King Albert, who has set his people such a noble example throughoutthe fierce struggle, has no?/ the joy and satisfaction of re-enter-ing his capital, while the un-sev-jpulous Kaiser is deprived of hi? throne and is a refugee in TTolkr.d. By a pledge solemnly given by five of the Great Powers nci to make war on Belgium, or use the territory and resources of tliat State in any way for their armies. Not, long after two of tl?.e signatories (France and Germany) had reviewed the undertaking to respect Belgian neutrality. they went to war near the Belgian frontier, and though the French army was hemmed in and could only escape by violating the pledge, the Frencli Emperor and hig generals preferred the capture of that army rather than the breaking of the covenant. Germany, however, in 1914, did not hesitate to tea.. - tip the aem> of

paper ic orde? to carry out ncr designs of w<Hd domination, but that aet of deljfowate fcvaehsT-y haa been avenged, tboagh not ,rei MJy so, as tlie day of reckoning h;T3 still to come. 'Belfjinm's refusal to take tbfl pnth of dishonor and her det?rminatio:.' to risk all .in what then seemed to be a hopeless military straggle ior ever rebound to lie:' credit It brought Britain into the war, and, Britain v/ill see that justics is done to trie plucky little country v/liidi dared to stand in the path. Meanwhile the sufferings oi the Belgians have been unprecedented. Murder, pillage and oppression in every form that, livmar 1 devilry could devise have been carried out by the Huns. Belgium became a Prussian, prison with remorseless avaricious gaolera, and the people's means of sustenance was grabbed by the mTaders so that the pangs of starvation were added to the innumerable horrors and cruelties to which they had to submit. Their sufferings must have been frightful, and but for America's help the people would have been al- ! most, if not quite, exterminated by death. Nor v/as that all. Her citien, towns, and villages have largely been pounded to shreds by German shells, her art treasures jitolea, and her magnificent architectural glories wantonly demolished, though it is gratifying to Tearn'that the quaint city of Antwerp has suffered but little ac tne hands of the "slayers of age and youth and prime." Ths story of German fiendish®ess in Belgium is one that will long remain a da-vi blot on Germany's name, jos' as Belgium's superb sacrifice in a-. terposiiiff between tne Hun ana bis prey will stand out in history rts one of the ma -vali oi ine e ttnd an object lesson for all taie. Therein we see the grand npijit that has upheld the Belgian nation iv. the prolonged straggle that has now ended in the complete deteat of the invadv.i. Though to-day there is rejoic.ag over 'the re-entry into possession of their territory, there musi inevitably bo a deep feelii'jr of sorrow at the sight ot iae rum and devastation that the onomy nas caused. Not until the work of restoration and reparation has been carried out can tnere e.rist, peace of mind in Belgium. Ihe battered towns have to be rebiiiit, the ruined lands made productive, and the captives repatriated and Germany must foot tlie bill. The Allies are pledged to see that full justice is done to Belgium and that they will carry out, their undertaking may be confidently assumed. It will take to carry out the work of restoration, but it will be done, and the same spirit, which animated the Belgians in their heroic military struggle will sorely be evident in the •sorLon which they can now con-

hm ! ener^ies aadpatriot- - ■ nd that their dark night »t sorrow and oppression has given way to the dawn of a n™ «a wherein they may breath freely and live at peace, the memory of their great sufferings will grad- . . ,v ade > an d the world will rejoice with them in their freedom trom a mfenaee which lmng continually m the past like a pall over their country, in industrious.. frugal people like the Belgians may be expected to make a Lapid recovery, and become even proud of the sufferings thev have had to endure. Not only have they added lustre Jo the annals of their country, but have earned the admiration and gained the sympathy of the civilised world, and the lasting friendship of the great democratic nations. Through much tribulation they have emerged with honor untarnished, and their heroism in war is a good omen of their ability to create from the ashes of their devastated country a new Belgium thai will in time become the pride of Europe and a never ending so wee of pride to the people.