Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-26
General From Army Of King
Albert Tells What IS Being
Accomplished Back Of User
River,
DEFENSE OF LIEGE
SALVATION OF ALLIES
Army Defending Corner of Lit
tie Kingdom Is Greater Than
That Which First Checked
Won KIuCk.

Washington, June 25.-The Bel
gian army is larger, better equipped
and more determined today than it
was at the beginning of the war, said
Lieutenant General Leclercq, mill
tary member of the Belgian mission,
in an address tonight to the National
Press club. The general gave a
graphic description of how twice, at
Liege and at the User, his country
men held up Germany's hordes,
while the allies united in the rear
and told of the joy the Belgian SOL
diers would experience on sight of
the American khaki.
THE king without country"
General Leclercq said, "is the express
sion the German papers use to des-
ignate our sovereign. This is not
quite accurate. There remains a part
of Belgium still unviolated. The
German hordes have not succeeded
in passing the User. The Germans
shall never conquer this small corner
Of our country"
Belgium Doing Much.
Besides rehabilitating their army
after terrible losses, the general de-
cIared, his country has set up NUM-
ton factories abroad one at Havre
with $4,000 workmen, and two at
Richmond and Letchworth in Eng
land with $4,000, while the Royal
Belgian Lloyd, with $50, ,OO0, 900 cap
! ~ - 'ty.s.sros transportation at sea.
Special schools train the MANNED and
the cripples for whatever work their
disabilities make possible.
THE Belgian army now occupies
a front of twenty-five miles with
eight divisions, including two of
cavalry. The land is low and flat,
requiring millions of sandbags for
defense.
Nothing remains" said General
Leclercq, 'in the battle zone where
once there were great fields filled
with cattle, smiling Flemish farms
and green trees. The only bright
note. If I may so call it. are the
graves of those who have poured out
their blood for their native land,
serving as an encouragement to their
living comrades, to whom they say
and necessarily repeat: 'Avenge us.
Do your duty"
Met Great Odds.
Upon Belgium's first victory of the
war at Liege the general dwelt at
length. There, he said, his country
men, barely 100000 strong, met at
least three times as many Germans,
inflicted losses admitted by Ger
many to total 42,714 and paralyzed
for thirteen days the great invasion
which after forty years of methodi-
cal preparation was expected to be
irresistible.
1.-The Germans had organized a
formidable war machine whose
wheels were adjusted with absolute
precision" he added. "The resist
ance of Belgium at Liege was the lit
tie grain of sand which threw the
whole machinery out of gear at the
very commencement, as it permitted
the French to gain precious time"
Ruthless Destruction.
After picturng the ruthless de-
struction of men, women and child
rem that followed the fall of Liege,
the general told of the Belgian at
tack upon the German flank before
the battle of the Marne, of the brave
defense of Antwerp, Of the fighting
at the User and finally of the inunda-
ton of Flanders to drive out the ene-
my and make solid the line thrown
by the allies across the road to Ca
lais.
In Africa, too" the general con-
cluded, I'VE have met the Germans
Our colonial army, $4,000 colored
troops before the war, was immedi-
ately increased to $4,000 and dedicat-
ed itself to inflicting a merited pun
shment for the unjust invasion of
the mother country. Belgium has
gained a territory of incalculable
value with a population of 100000
and an area twice as large as Bel
GUM itself and offering the most
favorable commercial resources"