Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-07-19
:: The Truth About Belgium ::
= = By Brand Whitlock - =

parative order that prevailed, con-
dition that was due entirely to the
schooling in self-government the
Belgians had acquired in their COM
munal system.
Mr.. Emile Francqui was chair
man of the executive committee of
the national committee and it was
his genius that directed the Bel
gian organization. He was wholly
fitted by nature, by experience and
by training for the heavy task.
We had arranged a meeting for
Friday, October 16. 1914, at the
American legation, to discuss and if
possible to agree on some solution
of the whole food problem. The first
thing to do was 10 obtain the con-
sent of the English government to
permit the importation of food; the
second was to obtain guarantees
that the food thus imported would
be free from requisition by the Ger
mans, and be reserved to the ex-
elusive use of the civil population
of Belgium. This done, the food
could be distributed by the comite
national, under the patronage of the
Spanish and American ministers.
The theory, like most theories, was
adequate; the great question was to
realize 1t in practice, and with the
two great nations that held its ex-
istence in their power just then
grappled in a deadly war, that was
a task to daunt the most resolutely
optimistic
Early in the morning the Baron
Won der Lancken came with Ge-
heimrath Kaufman; later we were
Joined by Mr.. Heineman and Mr..
Hulse, and for a long time we dis
cussed the important question. 1t
was necessary that some one go to
London to lay the case before our
ambassador, DIR. Page, and ask him
informally to discuss the matter
with the British government.
suggested Baron Lambert. Then
Villalobar arrived and approved the
choice Of Baron Lambert and sent
his motor at once to bring the bar
on. who came, screwing his mon
ocle somewhat obviously into his eye
at the mention of the difficult mis-
sion we had selected him for. Then
Mr.. Solvay, Mr.. Francqui and Mr.
Emmanuel Jansen came.
They were shown into another
room. They came formally to re-
quest me to act in the matter, but
as I was already occupied with il
we brushed formalities aside and,
since Belgians and Germans did not
meet, we carried on the discussion
by passing back and forth, the mar
Quis and /, from one room to an
other. Finally it was agreed that
the Baron Lambert, Mr.. Francqui
and Mr.. Gibson should go to Lon
don. There were letters and tele-
grams to be prepared and we spent
the rest of the day in writing them,
for they had to be in four Ian
guages, French, German, Spanish
and English, and all say the same
thinE-no simple task. There were
lSttsrs from Villalobar and me to
the Spanish and American ambas-
sedors in London. kilograms to our
governments, and then we decided
that Villalobar send telegram to
his king and 1 one to the president.
Then we prepared the letter for
Field Marsha Won der Goltz's sig
nature, the letter addressed to the
Comite National, in which he guar
anteed that the food to be imported
should be free from requisition and
be reserved exclusively for the Bel
gians. 1t was, as ii were the con-
stitution of our organization, the
cornerstone of the edifice we were
trying to rear, perhaps the most
important of all documents It
was written in German and then
translated into French and Eng
fish, and finally at tea time the
work was done.
Autumn in Brussels
The life of the city was being
peeping out again, there were ped
dlers in the streets, men shutting
along the Boulevard Anspach offering
Griffon puppies for sale; in the
window lodges around the Grand
Place roasted chestnuts were ex-
posed, and women from carts sold
fresh walnuts-signs of autumn all
like the brown and russell in the
bois.
But the aspect of the city was
changed by the presence of the in
vaders; officers swanking along the
boulevards, their gray mantels bel
lying in the autumn wind a Ger
man band in front of the Bourse;
the Iron Cross on every hand, and
stolid soldiers everywhere. Now
and then they would stoop and try
to play with some passing baby
whose mother would draw it away
in fear and loathing.
How lovely was Brussels in those
days, and how sad-like a beautiful
woman in tears. What will be the
effect of such depression on chill
dren born and reared under it's in
fiuence? What darkling influence
will it have on the mentality of the
next generation of men?
a scene comes back to me out of
the dismal October. 1t was at Ste
Gudule, q mass for the repose of
the soul of a son of a friend. The
boy was. only nineteen and had been
killed in battle and his mother had
gone to fetch his body from under
the bridge where it had lain for a
week. There was a catalalque over
which was laid the crepe that was
over it. 1 was listening to the beau
tiful music when suddenly in the
glimmer of the tall, white, crack
ling candles 1 was smitten by the
tear-stained. anguished race of the
lads father. And then 1 had a kind
of rage at those who deliberately
make war and bring about all this
hideous waste of youth, this wan
ton cruelty to the aged. In the
midst of the accents of the sweet
singing of the choir the old church