Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-05

Belgium, and that what Is now II
land was comparatively a poor all
unimportant region until ii won
freedom from the Spaniards, large
through the stubborn resistance
the richer Belgian provinces, upJ
which the Spanish efforts were cd
centrated. For over two centur
from that time the fate Of Holla
and Belgium was curiouslyi differe
Holland became one of the great Il
tions. Belgium, first under Spa
then under Austria, and lastly uno
france, became the Cockpit of E
rope. There are large tracts of
where you cannot walk ten miles
any direction without crossing d
scene of famous battle or siet
(Here again we are strangely forgd
full. How many of the English tot
lists who visit Waterloo know TIL
they are almost within sight the
of the field of Remilles?)
The consequences to the natives
the country were appalling; 1t is q
most a wonder that any were les
This state of things was not satisfa
! torily ended till 1881, when the Be
gians. after Wrestling their indepen3
ence from Holland, secured a guara
tee OF neutrality (renewed in 1St
from the Powers. 1t is worth n
calling that in the Belgian War
independence unframed voluntee
fought against as many Dutch reg
lars with artillery for four days
Brussels, finally driving them out wi
. heavy losses, and that promine
among the heroes of this decisive eE
plot was a celebrated band fro
Liege.
Since 1881 Belgium has made moi
progress than Holland. Its popult
ton is now far larger, its veal
greater, and its contribution to tt
modern world on the side of induI
try, art, literature. and ideas is
most respects far more considerable
Situated at the meeting-p point of En-
ltsh, French, German and Dutch eli
ilizations, it has borrowed from the.
all. From England it learned indu8
trial methods and a good deal of i
politics; France has especially infi,
enced its literature and art and hi
tinged its social ideals; Germany ha
taught ii something in municipal az
ministration and in the general appl
| cation of science to life; from Hollar
| 1t has taken lessons in the sphere
agriculture and also in that of his
finance and oversee trade. There
much that is jerry built in it's Sc
cial and economic structure, as is ii
evitable where growth has been {
rapid, but its ultimate foundation
sure one while peace lasts-the M
tive talent of an exceptionally gifte
and industrious people.
What every Belgian has bee
brought UP from his cradle to realiz
| is that the whole happiness of h
country and everybody in ii depend
on maintaining its neutrality. Ono
let it be violated with impunity. one
let it even prove to have been wort
anyone's while to have violated it. an
the game is up-Belgium must sin
back into the cockpit" stage. HenC
1t is not surprising that the preser
unprovoked German onslaught ha
been desperately opposed What d
Belgians hope is that. aided by Ii
British Intervention, they may max
Germany so repent their aggressio
that neither she nor France shall fe
inclined to repeat it in the future
OF. what material is Belgian mar
hood composed? There is, first, a di.
tinetion of races-the Flemish and Il
Walloons. The Walloons twhese re;
capital is Liege, but who inhabit III
whole of the coal and iron industrii
belt stretching eastward throug
Charleroi TO Mons and also most {
the Belgian ArdennesD are a fer,
idealistic race. The revolutionar
decentralization of the Belgian frar
! chise in 1898 was their work. The
supply the biggest battalions of Be
gian Socialism. In places like Lies
they have continuous tradition {
iron working and gun making since
time when the timber of the Ardenne
was the fuel of their furnaces. The
make locomotives, motor cars, an
small arms which are sold all owe
the world. They have a racial gift {
music en-. Ysaye is a Walloon and S
was Cesar Franck) and, much as
our own Wales. any local exeitemer
brings out new popular tunes an
songs daily. There is a good deal {
popular literature in their curious dia
lect of French, which, like Provence
deserves the status of a language.
To all this the Flemings presen
many contrasts. They most resembl
the people of southeastern England
except that Ca profound difference
they are devoted Roman Catholic
and that the rural background C
their life is one of small-scale farmin
and intensive cultivation instead c
large farms and permanent pastures
AS compared with the Walloons, the
are a stolid, rather british folk, heav
eaters and drinkers, but very labori
Gus. intensely logged, and with tn
English trait of mysticism and reti
cent imagination underlying a sur
face grossness. Artistically their ra
cial bent is not at all towards must
but very decidedly towards paintin
and sculpture and also towards tn
more creative forms of literature.
is to be observed that in the very re
markable literature of modern Bel
GUM the greatest writer's even anon
those using the French language ar
virtually all Qike Maeterlinck an
Verhaeren today of Flemish extrac
ton.
The two races have, nevertheless
many traits in common. One sucl