Evening star., 1916-09-27
Baron Beyens, Minister Of For
eign Affairs, Optimistic
of the Future.
APPRECIATES ASSISTANCE
RENDERED BY AMERICANS
Praises Mr.. Hoover, Minister Whit
lock and Others in Interview to
Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
HAVRE, France, September 12-"Bel-
gium will come back to her own. to her
place in the sun, and to complete free
dom and independence" said Baron
Beyens. minister Of foreign affairs Of
Belgium, in the course Of an authorised
interview given to the Associated
Press.
Baron Beyens 10 one Of the notable
figures Of the present war, for up to the
beginning of the war he was the Bel
gian minister at Berlin. and went
through the crisis eliminating in the
first blow at Belgium and the imme-
diate entry Of England. France and all
Europe into the seething struggle.
Then, leaving Berlin. he entered the
Belgian cabinet. and has since directed
the foreign affairs Of the country. And
ing time also to write a book which
graphically describes 'the week of
tragedy" at the German capital, when
the British and French ambassadors
and himself made their last attempts
to prevent the European conflict.
The ministry Of foreign affairs. where
d
Ste. Adresse. a suburb Of Havre. in the
Villa Hollandais, a rustic chalet occu-
pied in ordinary times by seashore
visitors, but now bearing on the outer
gate a small placard reading: Minis.
tere des Affaires Estrangeres de Bel
gique." A foreign once usually sug-
gests marble halls and big diplomatic
rooms, with ambassadors sitting among
oil paintings and mahogany furnish
ings. But the villa Hollandais has moth
in of
structures have been put up in the
garden for various diplomatic and con-
sular branches. Inside the villa there
is the simplicity of q summer cottage,
but everything is scrupulousiy we'll
done and effective.
Baron Beyens expressed. at the out
set, the deep sense of appreciation felt
by Belgium toward the people Of the
United States. and. in particular. to-
ward those who had directed the work
Appreciates Aid From Americans.
II am always glad to meet an Amer
ican." said he. land to express my
gratitude to your people in general
and to those who have literally saved
our people from starvation. 1t Is diff
hcult for me to say how much we feel
indebted to Mr.. Hoover. head Of the
committee directing the relief work Of
Belgium. He has proved himself a
ity in the gigantic task Of providing
for a whole nation which found itself
suddenly threatened with starvation or
at least with cruel privation. 1t was
a task. moreover, requiring much dipio-
matte tact as well as business knowl-
edge. for the relief committee was
obliged to deal between the German
oficials on the one hand and the allied
officials on the other. But all this
has been accomplished with INFINITE
skill: obstacles which seemed at times
insurmountable have been overcome,
and practical results have been real
lied which are of the highest impor-
tance to Belgium and the Belgian
people.
THE American minister at Brussels,
Mr.. Brand Whitlock, has also won our
unbounded admiration and respect In
performing a work Of colossal magni-
naming at Brussels while the govern
ment was constrained by circum-
stances to establish itself Temporarily
outside of Belgium. the American min
Spanish colleague. the bulwark be-
tween our citizens remaining in the
invaded regions and the German mill
tary and civil authorities temporarily
In control. Outside of the horrors and
atrocities Of war which have been
committed. the ordinary administration
Of civil affairs has been carried out
with an iron hand and with rigorous
harshness. In all this Minister Whit
lock has stood between our people and
the rigors of the German military ad-
mfnistration, and such lenience as we
have received has come largely
through his energetic and discreet in
tervention.
But" added the minister. ''the names
Of Americans who have shown this
good will toward Belgium in very
practical ways Is almost unlimited
DR.. Watson of the American Church at
Paris and Mrs. Watson, Mr.. Bliss, the
American charge d'anaires at Paris,
and his wife; Mrs. Wharton. the we'll
known American writer. and many,
very many, others. To all Of them
Belgium is deeply thankful"
Turning now to international affairs
In which he had taken such an active
part at the debut of the war, Baron
Beyens went on:
No Hostility With GERMANY.