Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-05
General Speaks English.

Z
read two-hour written address the
/ other evening at the National Press
club and | was worried all thru II
that he was about 10 quit. | wish II
had been two hours longer. so interest
ing was his recital Of the campaign
In Belgium. When he comes 10 Tulsa
get him 70 deliver t. II is founded
on court records and will give YOU an
entirely new idea OF the ruthlessness
OF the Germans IN their frightfulness,
and a clearer conception Of the noble
people OF bleeding Belgium. You can
stand four hours Of it. and then ask
him TO go on.
Major Osterreith Is a man six feet.
five and will no doubt tip the scales
close TO three hundred pounds He
wears full beard and looks for all
the world like the late King Edward ot
England and hais just as polite and az
fable. His English Is broken. but II you
will call on him in his private car he
viii pass cigars and cisarets and insist
on lighting and holding the match HIM
self. He shakes hands like al Ameri-
can-which means that he means Il.
In contrast 70 the bulk of Major
Osterreith is the rather diminitiVe
form Of Lieutenant d'Preel who is
about five feet nine and weishs about
l4e but every ounce OF him is chiv-
airy bows and smiles.
only -Four BelsianS.
These four will be the only Belgians
other than aides Ia the party. The
secretary. James -. Whitley, Is not &
Belgian but you will take him FOR
one He i o. some foreign extraction
and speaks their language.
Capt T. {. Cook OF the United
States army Is just what one would
=
States army. He will accompany the
commission as military aide 10 Baron
MonCheur.
Hugh Gibson is a member Of the
United States diplomatic corps and
formerly was consul ~ Havana
Il was SO quiet on the island
that he asked for transfer ana
was sent TO Antwerp. where he
was at the breaking out Of the
war. He is a close personal friend
Of King Albert and went with him
when the capital Of the little kingdom
was moved. II you expect 10 get any
thing Of 4 personal nature about any
Of the BelGians. you will have TO get II
from Hugh Gibson. because the Bel
gians will not talk about themselves.
The members OF the commission are
the most modest men l have ever met
and Mr.. Whiteley tells me that is only
characteristic OF, all Belgian people. l
asked him something about the army
, record OF General Leclercq. and he
told me not 70 ask the general about
IL. but that, while he doubted II, /
might get some statement out OF
Major Osterreith Of Lieutenant d'Ursel
but there was nothing doing. He Is a
fine man" said the major. when l
! asked him about the army record OF
the general. and that is about all any
OF them would say about the other.
They dou't boast-they simply tell you
| what happened in a most modest man
ner. and let you draw your own con-
clusions-
Gibson Gives Sidciights.
However. Hugh Gibson gave me
some sidelights on General Leclerq.
lie was at the head OF the Guide (they
pronounce II Geed) No. I and No. .,
which are the crack cavalry regiments
of Belgium All these officers were
In the thick OF all the battles. and
their performance ot duty was so
commendable they were personally
decorated by King Albert and chosen
as members Of the United States COM
mission as recognition Of valor on
| the field of fire King Albert is per-
scnally very proud OF all Of them, and
I has often expressed his love for them.
] While Relgiums integrity was vio-
lated and her treaties treated as
scraps OF paper. and her cities
| burned and women and children mas
sacred. her land devastated and her
/ factories dismantled, her women stolen
and enslaved for German officers her
/ men deporied and starved. her wealth
I drained % nSusht and the entire coun-,
I try eled white she now has an army
os seventy thousand. while she had
only $4,000 a; the beginning Of the war.
Those $4,000 troops delayed the Ger
mans six weeks until France had on
| opportunity 20 mobilize al the Marne
and the British had time 70 land an
| eSpetitionary force on French soil
Belgium had the choice offered her TO
allow the Germans 20 pass ard save its
army and country. but without an
hours hesitation she chose the course
I os honor TO treaty and refused dis
honor at the hands 81 Germany. when
every Belgian knew exactly what IL
meant. with one million German SOL
diers behind the threat. She chose TO
! ncht and did fich;-fouEht with no
goal 70 win, ONLY 70 delay unul her
allies could set reSdy % save the world
/ from autccrS;ic bondage.
Defend Little strin.
AL thA; Is ief; q Belgium for Bel
SiArS IS a h;tle strip e miles long.
which Is defended ey these seventy
| thousand troops. ertrenched within
| thirty yards of that many Germans
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