The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-18
WAR ECHOES

James H. Hare in Leslie's. Wright and located a bakery in Calais where it was possible to get a cup of tea. l was not feeling very we'll and I thought the tea might console me. We also saw veal and ham pie which we promptly bought and sat down to eat. It was while we were eating that three Red Cross ladies and one young man came in They wanted tea also but the baker, who was very busy. said he could not bother to make it. The young man sort of sulked and walked out and remarked to friend Wright that ''mommer's boy is spoiled" The others cast longing looks at our pie and asked where they could buy one like it. said it was a good pie, and so the acquaintance started. and the baker finally decided to allow himself to be persuaded to make them some tea. The acquaintance ripened when we insisted that they share our pot of tea while theirs was being made and the young man came in and sat op- posite me. He had voice like wop- ans but he was wearing leather leggings and gaiters and mems shoes and his hair was cut short so I knew he was a man. He kept addressing the eldest lady in the party as ''Mumse" She looked so cap- able and business-like that I could not understand why her son should be such an effeminate creature. FintlIy, was put right by something she said. It was after all, but a daughter, in one of these new-fangled dresses for army nurses. Maybe it is sensible for field work, but was not prepared to meet a charming young lady dressed in khaki hel- met, khaki shirt. khaki tie. khaki ulsters, leather leggings and tanned boots and smoking cigarettes. However, charming young lady she was, and I was mighty sorry that we could not find a way to ac- cept the suggestion of the mother that we join the Red Cross and go on to the front with them. Wright and I worried about it nearly all night. but we could not dope out any scheme that promised to work. Dr. James H. Hare and Dr. Sep pings Wright sounded very well, but wei were afraid that when we came to give first aid to the wounded over in Flanders, or some uncomfortable place like that, we would suddenly become unpopular.
 Capt. Granville Fortescue in the Jan uary Metropolitan: King Albert speaks English perfectly but slowly.
 T have been deeply touched by this other proof of the generosity of the Eng fish people Again they give substantial evidence of their great sympathy" The King paused. When he spoke again his
 voice was lower. Poor Belgium, now merely the edge of a nation, appreciates most sincerely all that her generous ally is doing''
 The practical side of the sovereign showed itself as he continued. T know already how hospitably my people have
 been received in England. In this re- spect I hope the Belgian men who are there will be given work. This is the first requisite, for I should not wish that any able-bodied citizen of my country would become a charge upon a friendly people. Let them not be pauperized. It has been the misfortune of these men that they were compelled to leave their coun- try that they might lead those dependent upon them into safety. In England I
 know the unfortunate women and chill
 dren of my country are safe.''
 l Has your majesty any suggestion as to how the Belgian refugees can best be ! helped?''
 tsThe need of the present Is food and clothing for those who have 5een driven from their homes. In the future it will
 be necessary to rebuild these homes. Then we shall want every aid to repair the havoc wrought by the enemy
 | At these words. spoken so feelingly by the King of these stricken people, there | flashed into my mind the many scenes of l desolation and ruin had witnessed. The burned homes, the devastation of the bat I tlefields, the fleeing multitudes clutching ] their bundles, all seemed to pass in re- view in the dim light of this improvised
 audience chamber. Even now the distant guns of Dixmude made a low accompani-
 ment to our talk. l Has not your majesty message for l the American people?"
 1 For a moment the King was thought | full.
 'I hope that the American people will
 remember that Belgium has been scrupu- l lously exact in carrying out it's obliga- l tions as a neutral country. It has never l been our policy to interfere in intcrna- tional politics. Like the United States, we have been concerned only with our owp l problems"