Evening journal., 1915-12-09

Harry. "He hasn't led any charges
and he hasn't been decorated with |
any medals, but he has shown himself /
to be a genuine. full-sized man; kind
hearted and strong, and capable of I
working and helping thousands of /
men, women and children who have |
suffered as few people have suffered |
since the beginning of the world"
"Who is this man?" asked Joe.
"He is Brand Whitlock. United |
States Minister to Belgium said |
Uncle Harry. He has come back to |
this country for a short vacation and |
rest, for he has been working so hard |
since the beginning of the war; that
his health has been very much weak |
ened. He will call on President VIII
son and then visit his mother and
later on go to his home city of To-
ledo, Ohio, where he was elected may
or time after time, because the peo-
pie of that city knew. Just as the
whole world now knows, that he was
the kind of a man most needed in pub
lie work.
Us Mr.. Whitlock going back to Bel
gium?" asked Jimmy.
"He expects to. soon after Christ
mas" said Uncle Harry.
"But there's something I don't un-
derstand.' said Joe.
What is it?" said Uncle Harry.
"Tell me and maybe l can explain it
to you."
Belgium isn't really Belgian coun-
try any more, is it?" asked Joe.
"Oh, ! see what you mean" said
Uncle Harry. "The country-that is.
the cities ard the farms and those Of
the people who haven't been killed or
who are not in the army, and every
thing of that SORTS still there. but
the German army now occupies and
controls all of Belgium except a tiny
part of the territory IN the western
corner"
"Well then II Belgium is controlled
by Germany how can the United
States have a minister to Belgium p
said Jimmy.
Right now Belgium is a German
possession." said Uncle Harry.
whether it will remain a part of
Germany will probably depend on
whether Germany wins or loses the
war. But even II Germany wins, or
: peace is agreed upon before either
side is completely crushed, Belgium
may be restored to the Belgian people,
fer the Allies have captured practi-
, cally all of Germany's colonies in
Africa and Germany may be glad to
/ give back Belgium for some of these
colonies.
But the point about Minister Whit
lock is that he was the United States
representative at Brussels, the CAPT
! tai of Belgium. when the German
army invaded and captured the coun
try. You can see that under these
. peculiar circumstances he had 20 be
very careful how he acted. But he
has been so successful in looking after
American interests in Belgium, and in
helping in the work of giving relief
( food and clothing-tO the Belgium
7 families whose homes were destroyed
i'm the war that he has won the praise
< and respect of the Belgian people. the
, Belgian King, and the officers and sol
I diers of the German army. In fact
every nation i'm Europe. including al
] the fighting countries, look upon Mr.
= Whitlock as one of their best friends
!, "Why only a few days ago | reaC
in one of the newspapers a statemen
r from a man who has been I'm Belgium
. almost since the beginning OF th'
war, to the effect that Mr.. Whitlocl
had undoubtedly saved the city o
Brussels from destruction. When th'
o German army entered Belgium severa
= Of the cities resisted and before th'
# attacks we're over those cities haI
= been all but completely destroyed. A
= the German army drew near to Brus
sells, the Brussels officials wanted 4
! fight. This man that | speak OF, say
that Minister Whitlock, knowing tn
! strength of the invading German arm
u and wishing to save the lives and tn
" fine buildings that would undoubtedl
= be destroyed, persuaded the Belgia
: officials not to attempt to resist tn