Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-07-29
BELGIAN ExiLEs
TRAGIC FIGURES OF
EUROPEAN WAR

The Hague. July 29.-The Belgian
exiles are the tragic figures Of the
European war. The state of siegge
which has been declared in most Of
the provinces near the frontier has
driven them to North Holland and
South Holland, the two provinces.
along the North sea where they can
move at liberty. There in the small
towns. but by preference in The Hague.
they have established themselves ac-
cording to their means. Most of them
are we'll past the tifties, while their
wives may be few years younger.
The men Of middle age have either
enlisted In the Belgium army or have
been obliged to return to their own
country to save whatever could be
saved Of the wreckage OF their busl-
ness. The older people, however by
general consent remain away from
their own land. For, as they explain.
they could do no good. they would be
in the way and they would not benefit
their country in any fashion. They
have got to stay where they are and
wait for the ultimate end. Almost in
variably they belong to the middle
classes for the rich people have gone
to England or to the south of France.
They have established themselves In
some Of the smaller boarding houses
and their great aim in life seems to
be how to get rid Of the twenty-four
hours which compose the day. In the
morning they are seen in the parks.
dressed properly and neatly but often
enough the coat is old and shiny, for
funds from their fatherland can not
oci1V hoi
posts in the bank have to last perhaps
for many years. Almost invariably
husband and wife walk together and
Judging by the few words heard in
passing, the conversation is always
and without exception of the war.
When they reach comfortable
bench they sit down and prepare for
the mornings labor. That consists Of
reading the two Belgian papers printed
in Holland, one the Echo Beige, printed
In French, the other De Vlaamsche
Stem printed In Flemish. These little
sheets do not bring much that is very
new. The frontier is Carefully sealed
against the transmission of all valu-
able news. To make up for important
items Of international importance, these
two papers print the rumors which
mysteriously float thru this colony of
exiles and which fill the lives Of many
of them, ever optimistic, with the hope
Of q speedy change Of the situation.
times out Of a hundred,
these rumors, have to be controdicted
the next day on the same page. Then
the community Of patient wanderers,
exclaim better luck tomorrow" and
lose not particle Of their faith in the
ultimate victory Of their cause" Any
way, the perusal Of their native pa
pers printed upon foreign soil fills the
entire morning and when luncheon
comes the couples drift back to their
boarding houses.
After luncheon there is another visit
Of the parks and perhaps a walk to the
nearby seaside where upon certain
days (when there Is particular COM
bination Of atmospheric phenomena)
the booming of the guns in far away
Flanders can be heard. Then the dis
cussion Of the war, its causes and
probable effects wakes hot to the ac-
compartment Of the deeply vibrating
"boom- boom boom which tells the
tale Of further destruction in the Bel
gian lands.
This brings the day up to the eve
ming hours when the principal Dutch
papers appear and then these are
studied and praised or condemned ac-
cording to the side which they are
supposed to take. With endless cups
Of ever weaker tea "a custom Of Hol-
land and FIanders) the last delivery OF
the mail, which takes place at 10
o'clock, Is awaited In the vague hope
for news from home. news which can
not come unless 1t possesses wings
with which to fly across or the hands
of mole with which to burrow under
the strictly guarded barbed wire
fences which separate Belgium from
Holland.
In this routine of useless tasks and
aimless pomenades the days of the
Belgian exiles pass. Most of them are
too old to become an integral part OF
the foreign society into which they