The Washington times., 1915-02-24
RECORD FOR RAINFALL.

Elsewhere along the great line o,
trenches there is slush and mud. foi
this winter has broken records foi
rainfall. And everywhere the troops
are suffering war at its worst. Blu,
the worst conditions at other points
would be the best in Flanders, where
the whole country 10 one vast marsh
full OF wreck and ruin. dead men and
dead animals, all purifying together
where few months ago were beauti-
ful farms not to be bought for 500
an acre.
Grimly determined to drive the Ger
mans out of their country, now BEL
gian army has sprung up. It gets
its inspiration from King Albert. who
refuses now. as he has refused all
along, to acknowledge defeat.
To free Belgium or to die under its
floods. is the Kings slogan. so his men
say, and with him stands every able
bodied Belgian facing this scene OF
SURPRISING desolation with a fervor
almost uncanny.
The King has become almost a god
to the Belgians. patriotism a religion.
the army a church. and death a glory
to aspire to.
The Belgian story of the battle of
the User. still in progress. is hero set
forth for the first time. 1t was told
me by one Of the Kings principal aides.
Story of the User.
Following Antwerp. the Belgian army
Of 10000 men Of all arms retired down
the coast of the North Sea, closely
pursued by the Germans. The Bel
gians were given no rest. They had no
reserves, and with a light artillery
could do little against the heavy Ger.
man field pieces. Also the Germans
had pitted against the Belgians at this
time, by their own official reports
$50. 600 men.
When the User was reached the Bel.
gians were ordered to hold their posi-:
tons for three days at any cost. until
The the allies could send re;enforeemsnts e, :,
three days they held out six. 1t was
Liege all over again. with the Belgians
bearing the brunt. On the 22d the Ger:
mans broke through by shear weight OF
numbers. On the ?sd the FRENCH came
worn out. instead Of resting. fell back
on their own center and aided in check
ing the Germans.
It was now decided to flood the coun-
that its bed is higher than the surround
ing country. The sea, too. is higher.
Sc. the gates In the dykes were raised
and the water was let in. flooding and
running thousands OF fertile farms for
waters rose. trapping the Germans, who
bravely fought forward instead OF saw.
ing themselves as they SO easily could
have. done by retreating. Belgian Of
ficers make no pretense Of hiding their
for this feat.
For two weeks in the rising food the
Germans tried to advance to high
ground on the allies side of the river
munition and stores of all sorts. can
non and transports to be covered by
the encroaching river ard sea
Letter Describes Battle.
A letter found on the body OF dead
German officer described the fighting
as far worse than anything he had seer
during the battle OF the Marine.
1T was simply hell" he said. The
the time. the enemy in front shooting
We dying; In punches. and no help fol
This was how the Germans were
on both sides have not materially
changed the situation beyond the steady
but necessarily slow driving back OF
the Teutons.
Today the floods have reached the1l
highest They extend tens Of miles ir
built higher than the countryside. criss
cross the inundatio like strips of crust
across a pie. Here and there are farm
houses in ruins. occupying islands
scarcely above the water. Most of ths
trees are now prone in the mud ane
ooze, the ground having become too sof
to hold the roots firmly. An occasiona
windmill. like a dead thing. Is seer
lying on its side in the water. Wagons
carts caissons of cannon. haymows anC
what not dot the waste, but as ont
looks about over the expanse he doel
80 J ss sa.DaSAAS