The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-20

London, January 13.- Special There isn't mucS that the people of Belgium, war-stricken, sad and lorn, can do to show their appreciation of what has been done for them during all these long months of war, but there rests in the soul of the nation-a na- tion still despite all that has happened "a feeling of the most profound grati- tude toward those from the outer world who have fed them when there was nothing to eat, who have clothed them when there was naught to wear In many ways has the appreciation of the Belgians been shown. By spoken word, from the King, from the Queen and from all the ministers of state, an effort has been made to express Bel gium's feelings, to make the world know that the kindly aid has touched the heartstrings and sounded a note of gratitude.
 What the King has said and what the Queen has said, off in that little corner of the royal domain that was once theirs, but which is now in the hands of the enemy, has made the thing perfectly clear, but the most touching evidence comes from else where, from the women and children and the old men who remain in their invaded country and who are direct beneficiaries of the benefactions of the kind hearted outer world. Their ef- forts to show what they feel, to make others know how they are touched, is pathetic. Americans who have been working in Belgium, distributing food and clothing, find their task arduous, not physically, for the stimulus is great, but wearing on their powers of self-control. It isn't scenes of pow erty and hungry women and children, ff,,n D o.J- -t. to eat now, that fills the eyes and makes speech difficult: it is rather the poor, yet the best, efforts of the peo- pie to demonstrate their appreciation
 Some months ago a motor car be- longing to the commission for relief in Belgium, through which has been distributed that vast quantity of food and provisions which America sent across the seas to the strick en nation, drove slowly through the streets of Louvain. The car flew the American flag, this being before the Germans prohibited such thing on the theory, perhaps, that one flag, the German, was enough for a country. A lady, evil dently of goodly station, we'll dressed and refined, stepped in front of the machine, holding up her hand in sig nal to the American driver to stop. He did so and the lady advanced to- ward the car. Paying not the slight est attention to either driver or his companions, who looked curiously on, she approached the forward part of the car, from the engine-hood of which rose the American flag. Simply she lifted one of the folds of the tiny em- blem, bent over and kissed it. Then she turned without word and walked on. And as the car resumed it's journey there wasn't much conversation there, either.
 The American flag flies no more on motor cars distributing food in Belgium-the Germans won't have 1t. But the initials, "C. R. B"-Commis- sion for Relief in Belgium-are known in every hamlet and village, at every crossing of the roads. One of these cars, whether it be laden with grain or if 1t is occupied only by officials travelling from one point to another, is speedily surrounded whenever it stops. Sometimes there are outward manifestations of welcome, men mak- ing speech with the travellers, and maybe a cheer as the car moves on. But often the people stand simply silent gazing, while the children hover about and touch the hems of the coats Of these foreign benefactors.
 Streets, squares, boulevards and parks have been named after Amer ica. There are places named after President Wilson, and MT. Brand Whit lock- the American minister to Bel gium. Thus will their names be re- membered in Belgium long after they and all others concerned are dead. In