The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-10
FAMOUS WALLOONS CHECK GERMANS Defenders of Liege Noted as
 Fighting Men N APOL MS B E s T Twelve Belgian Forts in Front of Liege Are Manned by Descend
 ents of the Famous
 Martial Race

tlt NdAltS bA lit AAtuSts III itS tiAOi to reach France on the other side, it ap- piled the finder to the fighting spirit of the Walloons, for centuries reckoned the bravest fighting men in all of Eu- rope. says the New York World.
 For nearly a century the Walloon of Belgium a sturdy, well set up man, has gone his peaceful way, transforming the district in which he lives into the most fertile and profitable in Belgium. Castles, meats and strongholds that looked out over the lowlands when Charlemagne crashed his way to Ak . la-Chappelle, and that were hoary with age when the Capulets and Montagues fought about them, have been torn down. In their place has risen the great city of Liege, with it's suburbs and the surrounding cities, all within few miles of each other.
 Here today are the greatest centres of Belgian activities Incredibly rich in resource of all sorts. the district of Liege throbs with varied industries.
 Great technical schools, fondries for the manufacture of arms, wooden mills and mining industries have sprung up. until today at Liege Is reckoned the great commercial metropolis of Bel gium rivalled by Ghent only.
 The Cockpit" of Europe
 It took only a few hours to transform this valley of plenty into a battle ground which promises to rank with the other famous fields in Belgium where the destiny of Europe has been decided
 In recent times Waterloo, Genappe and Nancy have been written Into the history of the worlds wars In Belgium, but since the days of the Huns, Goths and Franks, this little kingdom has been the cockpit" of great armies.
 Pepinster, taken by the Germans and sacked, was the stronghold of Pepir and here he built his great castle, the ruins of which still exist. Today Pe- pinster, shorn of its glory, is a little su- burb of the city of Liege, from which tourists alight on their way to the fla nous watering place of Spa, a few miles south in the foothills of the high country of Southern Belgium.
 The folklore of the Walloons-and nowhere in the world are there more 1egends-all ideal with war and the bravery of their men. Scott in his "Quentin Durward" portrayed admirab- ly the daring of the Walloons in his account of the destruction of F'ranch- imont and the seige of Liege by Charles the Bald.
 Gave the Devil His Dues
 There is a tale that a Waloons baron finding the devil in the guise of beau tiful woman outside of his castle gates, took her home. In the morning the devil appeared in his true guise and taunted him with having lost his soul
 Well" the baron is said to have re- marked casually, When you get back 10 hell tell them you were never better entertained.''
 The Walloon of today is a worthy de- scendant of his turbulent forefathers. .NC l.. n man with dark, swarthy feautures grim in outline and stoical in expres- sion. His habits are simple and the morals of the country are unusually high
 Until 1870 the walloons were greatly in demand as fighting men, and the Spanish, Austrian and French armies used them to good purpose in their oc- equations of the Spanish and South Netherlands. In the army of the Meth erlands the Walloon was reckoned the superior of the French. and after the fall of Napoleon, 2000 Walloons, wear ing the medal of honor, returned to their homes after the fallen Emperor had bade them farewell, as the bray est of his men"
 Such are the people whose spirit the Germans tried, and the determined re- sistance they are making testifies to the fact that the old martial spirit which made the Walloon the terror of the depredators of the middle ages still persists, although the atmosphere to- day is commercial instead of martial.
 All Industries Wiped Out
 Yet the Walloons fighting to the death about the Qualifications of Liege the gateway to Brussels, are paying dearly. The richest part of the country is being laid waste and the industries which have meant nearly everything for the pros perity of the country are being wiped out
 In the city and environs of Liege there gre approximately 200,000 inhabitants. The villages, famous in the history of the Flemish days, nestle in the shadow of the foothills, or drowse by the banks of the great River Mouse. The hotels are modern, there is communication by tram, trolley and waterways, and the streets are excellent in all of the villages.
 It is easily the most important strategi- cal point in Europe, for it controls the Mons and Charleroi roads from Germany into Belgium and it is over these roads that the German hosts are pouring. A successful repulse of the Germans by Liege would keep them from western Europe England has lcng been con cerned about the Notifications of Liege and in 1888 and later in the nineties. it lent advice and counsel in the reconstruc- tion of the Qualifications.
 
 westerly from the city of Liege along the Mouse river, are 12 in number, hav- Ing a circumference of 31 miles with sn average distance between them of 21h miles. Six are on the right and six on the left bank of the Mouse river. Speaking of their great importance to Europe and to the fate of England, in case of an invasion by Germany, Demet- rius c. Boulger, in his Belgian Life in Town and Country" says:
 Their possession (by the Germans) would open the door to Europe. Remem- boring that future wars are likely to be of sudden commencement. and that the main objects of the opposing commanders will be to snatch some material advan- tage within a few hours after the signal is given, 1t becomes clear that only the inclusion of Belgium is necessary to make the possession of Liege d vital point, on which the result of the cam paign might depend"
 The Belgian army in time of war is composed of 140,000 men. Various critics have predicted that in time of war the Belgians would prove weak enemies be- cause of the benevolent system in vogue in the training. The fight they are mak- fng at Liege proves that benevolenee in 'tbe case of the Belgians, has not de- stroyed their efficiency.
 What success they will have in retard- ing the advance of the Germans if IIege falls and after that Namur, the other fortificati ton which guards the Mouse, re- mains to be seen. The two forts require practically every available man for their defense.
 The Gendarmerie, the guardians of the border, an organization of police, will probably play a large part in the final defense of Belgium These men, 5000 in