Evening journal., 1915-02-26
GET Glimpse OF
BELGIAN SUFFERING
E. B. RObinette Tells Rel 1
Workers Their Charity
is Appreciated
COUNTRY WRECKED
BY GUNS OF WAR

Under the auspices of the Bel
gium Relief Committee of the local
Red Cross Societies. an informal talk
was given i'm the parlors of the Clay
ton House last night on 1.-TWO Weeks
Spent i'm Belgium" by Edward B.
Robinette. of Philadelphia, who only
recently returned from that war
stricken country where he was sent
by the city of Philadelphia to see that
the shipload of fOOdstuffs sent by that
city reached its destination and was
properly distributed
Mr RObinette was introduced last
night by General Charles Bird who
stated in brief that he was glad that
Wilmington people were being given
the opportunity to know that their
contributions and donations to the
Bolgians were being so carefully
handled In beginning his talk, Mr..
Robinette said he was not going to
make a formal address. but that he
was merely going to give an ordi-
nary account of what he saw and of
some Of his experiences that bofell
him while on his trip through Eng
land, Holland and Belgium.
Upon arriving i'm England after an I'M
cvcntful voyage, MIR. Robinctte said ho
went TO the American Commission
where he ascertained just how it would
he possible for him TO get into Belgium
and while waiting for his various pass
( ports aud papers. lac said he inspected
+ the Belgium refugee camps that were cs
Z tablished through England and HOLLAND
and there, he declared, he found un
spcakahlc conditions existing, there
/ being a very great need for food am,
clothing ON all sides.
The trip into Belgium was made by
/ motor car. and as his chauffeur was d
/ Belgian and one of the passengers in the
car was lrcnchmau, much trouble en-
/ sued. and they were arrested six times
{ Mr.. Robincttc wildly described the de
/ iNastation aud destruction th@t had bcel
wrought by modern implements of war
I fare and he spoke particularly nt th'
burning and pilaging OF the city %
I LoWaimc, previously one of the mos
beautiful cities in Europe and also %
the partial devastation of Namu
Iiegc, Antwerp and many other cities
The Germans. MIR. Rohiuette said. ad
,anccd in three parallel lines aud a
they marched they lett behind them
trail of charrcd walls aud ruins.
"1hc feeling of bitterness and hairc
toward the Germans i'm Belgium is ter
l. rhlc," said Mr. Robinette ut is th
y bittcrcst ever read or heard Of Ih
suffering of these people is indescribabl,
aud Witnessed many scenes that vii
% i've with me forever
Mr.. Robmetto then gave a vivid de
p scription Of modern battlefield ans
4 also gave a graphic description of
n battle between an acroplane and tn
German remodclcd forts of the Bel
~ gians that he also witnessed.
nj Belgium" said Mr.. RObinettc il
conclusion, ct being used a. the fight
a. ing pit of the war in Europe and /
practically bearing the whole brun
O. of the war"
In speaking as to just how the food
stuns sent into that country are bein
distributed, Mr.. RObinetto said tina
r. the goods arc unloaded at Rotterdam
and are then shipped down the vari
GUS canals to the nine different natu
K raj divisions of the territory. Tic ell
A. tire work, he said, was under the su
pervision of Americans. acting in con
nection with Germans and the Com
mittee Rationale of the Belgians.
Al the conclusion of Mr.. Robinette'
address Mayor Howell expressed tn
= thanks of the committee and Of Oh
\ people of Wilmington to Mr.. Robinett
> for his cnlightening talk and adde
that he was sure everybody approciat
q ed it and that it would be an incentiv
?. TO froer giving.