Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-06-22
HEAD Of BELGIAN
MISSION TELLSOF
RUINED COUNTRY


WASHINGTON, D. c., June 22.-Bar-
on Moncheur, head of the Belgian war
mission, today expressed to the Amer
lean people through the Washington
correspondents Belgium's deep graft
tude for Americas generous outpour-
ing of material assistance and sym
pathy." He paid an especial tribute to
Herbert C. Hoover, for his Belgian re-
lief work.
THE purpose of our visit to this
country" said the baron, lis to ex-
press to your government and people
the heartfelt gratitude of Belgium for
the generous outpouring of material
assistance and sympathy which have
gone so far to save my stricken coun-
trymen, from the horrors of famine
and to maintain their mistaken cour-
age in this hour of trial.
Our warm gratitude to you for this
help will never cool, but you are now
adding still more to our great debt
Our people, saved from famine, still
groan under the yoke of merciless
invader. OF all the people of the worli
none have ever had more flaming love
of liberty than those of Belgium and
this makes their suffering the more
acute. Your entry into the war not
only brings to us the satisfaction OF
hnding in an old friend new ally
but fires us with complete confidence
in an early and victorious issue OF the
great struggle which has brought to
NV country so much of misery and
suffering.
"Our admiration for your decision IN
entering the war is all the greater be-
cause we know that you did so in full
knowledge of all its horrors and real
lied fully the sacrifices you will be
called upon to make, the tears that
will flow, the inevitable heart ache and
sorrow that will darken your homes
This shows us as nothing else could
the determination of your country to
see that when peace comes it shall be
an honest peace, one that can last and
one that will bring freedom and hap
piness to all nations.
In voicing my country's gratitude /
am happy to be able to pay tribute Oh
admiration and affection to Mr.. Hoover,
under whose able and untiring direc-
ton the great work of feeding Belg-
Jun was carried on. We now rejoice
for you that a man so eminently fit
ted by ability and experience should be
at your service in handling the great
food problems that confront you.
From being one of the foremost in
dustrial nations of the world, ranking
fourth among exporting countries. Bel
GUM for the time being has been ruth
lessly wiped out. Her factories are
closed. With cold calculation for the
ruin of the country the invader has
even removed the machinery from our
factories in an most cynical pro-
gram of economic humiliation. AND
worst of all, part of Belgium's unof-
tending laboring class has been torn
from their families and sent to toll IN
Germany under system that would
have offended the moral sense OF the
middle ages.
"But this is only passing phase.
Belgium confidence and courage has
never wavered. On the day of deliver
ance sounds of industry will again be
heard. And on that final day of vic
tory the friendship of our two peoples.
purified in 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"