The Irish standard., 1917-07-07
THE TWIN CITIES GREET
BELGIAN war committee
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(SOnClnueQ from rage IT,
luncheon was served for the visitors
at North Oaks, the country home of
Mrs. James j. Hill, and a public re.
.ception was given then at the Univer-
sity Club. Other speakers at the
Como Park reception were T. d.
O'Brien Esq, Governor Burnquist,
Mayor Irwin, Judge Grier M. Orr and
R. S. Coleman.
At Minneapolis.
The formal Minneapolis greeting to
the distinguished visitors was at the
Lake Harriet roof garden which was
crowded to capacity. The municipal
band opened the program with patri-
otto numbers, after which Baron Mon
cheur made a brief address. When
the speaker referred to Father Hen
nepin as being q native of Belgium
he took his audience by storm and
cheers greeted the happy allusion.
The memory of the great explorer, he
said, establishes sentimental bond
between Belgium and the great North
than ever.
More than a century and a half
ago." said the Baron, "this fruitful
region of the Northwest was for the
first time explored by a missionary
whose name and memory WILL | trust,
be forever entwined with your history
That missionary was Father Henne-
; pin. He was born in the province of
Hainault. We therefore proudly
claim him as Belgian and we are
also proud to be thus in some way con-
nected with your early history
"But Father Hennepin, that Belgian
priest, never dreamed that in discover
ing this region he was discovering that
garden spot which was in the future
to supply bread to the starving chill
dren of Belgium.
Immediately after the fall of Ant
werp the millers of the Northwest, at
the suggestion of one of your distin-
guished citizens, Mr. Edgar, sent
whole ship-load of flour to save my
fellowcountrymen from famine And,
since that time you have continued to
give generously to Belgium your ma
terial aid as we'll as your moral sup
port.
cit is my mission here to express
the gratitude Of the whole Belgian peo-
pie for all that your generous citizens
have done for US.
Mission of Gratitude.
Our gratitude to you will never
cool, but you are now adding still more
to the great debt we owe you. Our
people, saved from famine, still groan
under the yoke of merciless invader.
OF all the peoples of the world none
have ever had more flaming love of
liberty than those of Belgium, and
this makes our suffering the more
acute. Your entry into the war &C.
ments our old friendship and gives us
most powerful ally. 1t inspires us
with absolute confidence in an early
and victorious issue of the great strug-
gle which has brought to my country
so much of misery and of suffering
To the debt of gratitude which we
have already contracted we shall now
add another for the contribution of
your blood and treasure in winning
back for my country her rightful place
among Independent and sovereign ma
tiOns.
To-day, or this anniversary Of your
independence, we hail you as brothers
and as comrades in arms, and on that
final day of victory the friendship of
our two peoples, purified by the fire
of suffering will emerge greater and
stronger than ever and unite us in
even stronger bonds that shall, God
willing, never be broken"
Following the Baron, General Math-
leu Leclercq was introduced and in a
brief talk expressed the greatest con,
fidence of an Allied victory, due to
the entrance of the United States in
the war. He spoke of mutual ideals of
justice and liberty prevailing in this
nation and his country and he fore
casts sweeping victory of right over
might" In conclusion, he said: "The
German eagle soon is to be stricken to
death and the American eagle will
swoop down as an avenger and con
queror, and this conquest will bring
peace with victory"
The other members of the commits
sion were introduced to the audience
and responded with bows to the ap
plause that greeted them. They are
Major Leon Osterreith, who formerly
was attached to the Belgian legation
at Petrograd; Count Louis d'Ursel
who formerly was attached to the Bel
gian legation at Teheran, Persia, anG
James G. Whiteley, acting Belgian con
sui at Baltimore, secretary to Baron
Moncheur. Accompanying the com
mission are Hugh Gibson, representing
the department of state; Captain D
c.. Cook, U. S. A., United States mill
tary attache, Adjutant Thonnart, sec
rotary to General Leclercq, and Or
derby Edgar Dangois.