Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-11

, kind OF man who appeals to Amer
leans. He 10 big, quiet. and at the Same
time forceful. His officers fear his
anEer-but no seldom is angry. He
fights. rides. swims. shoots and en-
gaEcs in aviation. engineering and
writing with equal facility.
In An interview with newspaper
correspondent recently lie spoke with
satisfaction OF Knowing his people"
he put 1t. which few men In his sta
ton had enjoyed. BY this he meant
his travelling and mixing freely.
II lived like any American in the
American Northwest and along the Pa
cihc Coast In my own country, too
have seen almost everything for my
self. know from experience what IL
means to drive locomotive and to
work In n coal mine. 1t is work 10 be
King, too. Few realize how hard
work II is
Put Albert does things in the limo
or his work that few Kings do. Here
is little extract from a letter writ.
ten by ono OF his soldiers:
I'VE never knew how much we loved
our King With what he has done and
is doing for us we could not help low
ing him. one Sunday while he was on
tour of inspection with his staff Of
tcers nc saw men digging trenches who
looked very tired. The King inquired
how long they had been working. and.
on being told. sent them away to rest
while he proposed to the officers that
they and himself take the mems places
The King could then be seen digging
trenches TO relieve his soldiers
Can any one help feeling proud TO
serve under such n King"
INTRODUCES NEW MEN
TO OLDER COMRADES
King Albert conceived the idea Of
presenting in person his recruits who
had not yet received their baptism OF
Are to their older comrades. the Rel
eian soldiers who have been fighting
since August.
Veterans of the Sixth and Twenty
sixth Regiments formed n square. with
bayoncts fixed. After II speech by the
colonel. the King delivered this address
to the older men. by way of intro
ducinG their new comrades:
"Old soldiers of the Sixth and TWEEN
ty-siXth Regiments OF the line. desire
YOU to give n kindly welcome TO tho
new recruits. who are going to BIO your
comrades In battle. Be helpful and
kindly to them amid the difficulties OF
war. Be genuine brothers in arms. so
Us to oppose an unbreak2ble barrier
to the invader, for even at the price
OF death we must fight one, with the
aid OF our allies. until our territory has
been liberated"
King Albert has been under fire per-
Sonally probably more times than any
even made an aerial reconnaissance of
the German lines. He occupied the oh
servers seat in Il Belgian military BIZ
plane, and spent about one hour in the
air. Several times the aeroplane was
under fire. but he returned safely to
headquarters.
Few men are as powerful physically
AS the King. On his motor cars all the
brake levers are specially strengthened,
because of the tension he brings to bear
when driving. He can lift Crown
Prince Leopold. fourteen years old and
the Princess Marie Jose, four years
younger. one by each hand and hold
them out a arms length.
The King has a modest opinion of his
own ability, however. Emile Wander
reldc. tho Belgian Minister of State.
relates that when the French arrived to
support the Belgians. who had been
holding the Germans in check on The
User for week all alone. a differ
cnce of opinion arose between the
French and Belgian generals AS to the
best location of certain line Of de-
Tense. and person very close to King
Albert appealed 10 him, as II was his
country. and his wishes would. of
course. be followed. The King an
swered IF did not happen TO be
the King. should only be major
in the Belgian army. and do not wish
to interfere with the plans of the gen
erals"
Tho King Is bringing up his two sons
to his most democratic ways The
Queen, who was 4 Bavarian princess. Is
notable musician and talented wom-
an in many other respects. When Ant
A. f.h Il H.
shipped off TO Lord CurZon's country
place in England, she refused to seek
refuge abroad She returned TO her
husband In the trenches. and. while
actually under fire from the German
howitzers. she distributed gifts 20 her
country's soldiers on Christmas Day.
Nandervelde is I. Socialist Socialism
grew rapidly in Belgium under OLD Kinv
leopold. who died in 1909. But his
nephew has won the hearts OF the work
insmen, as OF every other class OF Bel
sians.