Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1914-12-24
INTERVIEW
WITH KING
OF BELGIUM
Talks Of the War and the Great
Generosity in Time Of Need
Of American People.

GRAND HEADQUARTERS OF THE
KING OF THE BELGIANS, in West
Flanders, Belgium. Sunday, Dec. 90
(Vfa London. Dec %, $40 D. m.)-In
the council chamber Of an ancient
Flemish town hall. from which he is
directing. under German she'll fire.
the resistance OF his war-worn little
army blocking the road to Dunkirk
and Calais. King Albert OF the Bel.
gians told the Associated Press today
OF the stand his soldiers we're makinr
against the German invaders. The
kings headquarters is located on one
OF the remaining dry areas Of that
small corner OF Belgium left under his
rule.
King Albert also requested the Asso.
ciated Press to convey to the people
OF the United States his deep gratitude
for their efforts to feed his subjects
now under German military rule.
The monarch was alone when the
correspondent was admitted to the
council chamber not even an aide be-
ing present. The kings tall, angular
LincOln-like form was clothed in the
simple undress uniform Of a general
Of artillery, which was without insig-
MIA, beyond braided shoulder straps, to
distinguish him from a staff officer.
Physically, King Albert looks hard
ened, but lines of care show in his
otherwise youthful face. In manner he
is decidedly shy and he apologized for
his English, which, however, was very
fluent.
The light from smoky oil lamp
barely penetrated the recesses of the
great beamed hall, from the walls of
which empty picture frames stared
down.
When the king saw the correspond
ent gazing at those blank spaces where,
a few months ago, invaluable Flemish
canvas hung, he smiled and said he
no longer expected the Germans to
even be in position to take the
frames.
Modestly he praised the courage of
his soldiers, speaking of them with
great kindliness-as though he were
talking about his own children.
Il believe" he said, my army is
courageous. My people, however, are
too democratic for the same discipline
that prevails in the conscript European
armies. You will see something of
the bravery of my people when, tomor-
row, you shall have the chance to wit
ness the peasants working in their
fields under shell fire, concerned only
for the losses of their homes, the de-
struction of which causes them much
grief"
When Edgar Sengeer, Belgian at
tache to the American commission for
the relief of Belgium, entered and pre-
sented King Albert with report from
the commission showing that enough
food was in sight to feed his people
until Feb. IL, the king turned quickly
to the correspondent, saying:
"Will you be kind enough to convey
to the American people my deep
gratitude?"
He then wrote in English the fol-
lowing message:
"The magnificent generosity of the
American people, in forwarding i'm
mense quantities of foodstuffs to my
suffering people, affords me intense
satisfaction and touches me. very
deeply.
I'm this. my country's hour of trial,
nothing has supported me more than
the sympathy and the superb genera
sity of those who have assisted in ma
terially lessening the same: and l de-
sire to offer my deepest thanks. and
at the same time to convey a message
Of good will for the new year.
(Signed) ALBERT,
king of the Belgians."
King Albert also was anxious to
have the American people. as he put
it, know the facts of the story of how
his troops. demoralized and disorgan-
lied by their disheartening retreat al
most to the limits of their own coun-
try, turned at bay along the User and
held back there the Germans at fright
full cost in killed and wounded to their
army. and of the almost incalculable
loss suffered in the deliberate inunda-
tion by it's owners of the most valu-
able agricultural part of the country.