The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-25
ASKS WHAT name
GERMAN HAS FOR
BELCIUM'S RAPE
(By Ellis Parker Butler.)

I think of Belgium as a youth, a
slender lad like David, tending the
hocks of peace while all around him
slept the Goliath nations. He is
armed with his string and pebbles,
this Belgium, but he has no fear, for
the giants have sworn that however
much they may battle he shall not be
harmed. Then upon him leaps a
liar giant, a breaker of promises, and
cries stand aside, weakling! Break
thou thy oath and let me pass"
Scared. bruised, wounded but fight
ing still, the youth Belgium fell back
and back before the steel-clad, blood
reeking monster, and Belgium's name
shall ever be honored. He used the
sling and the pebbles well and fought
a good fight. Brave Belgium.
There is another little nation. Hard
by Belgium and in the path of the
oath-breaking Hun was this little ma
ton that think of as a maiden. Like
Belgium, Luxembourg was a neutral
lied nation but, unlike Belgium, Lux
embourg's neutrality was an unarm-
ed neutrality. Child" the nations
and we will keep you inviolate. We
vow the vow of strong men that we
will protect you and respect your
weakness. Throw aside your puny
weapon and trust to u.s.
The nations said that to Luxem-
bourg in 1857. Her only fortress was
then dismantled and RACED to the
ground and her army was reduced and
limited to one company of gendarmes
and one company of infantry. Thus
she was made powerless to resist. She
was made as defenseless as Nydia, the
blind girl of Pompeii. 1t was like
some chapter in tales of ancient Chi
valry, with Luxembourg the tender,
helpless maiden, surrounded by the
brave and true knights sworn to pro-
tect her. Had the knights sworn by
the blood of Christ Gas knights did in
oIden days. their oaths could not
have been more solemnly sacred. A
pledged word is a pledged word, and
doubly sacred when given to the
| helpless. The giant nations kept
their oaths sacred. Except Ger
| many. Except Germany!
Against Germany we have marked
the wrongs of Belgium Liege bonn
barded, Louvain burned, old men and
women and children murdered,
| slaughtered soldiers and ruined towns,
and in a million year Germany can
not wipe out that stain of neutral
nation violated; but let US not forget
| Luxembourg.
| Without a fort, without an army
Luxem bourg drew up across the road
| the Germans were flooding, motor
van (called a panier-a-salad, salad
| basket). The Germans laughed and
rolled it into ditch, and the mighty
host of invaders, having long been
ready, marched triumphantly into
Luxembourg's g-dismantled fort
ress, placed their feet on the breast
of the maiden they had sworn to pro-
tect, and went their way along the
smooth, unlawful road to France.
| What is a motor van dumped into q
ditch? It is a silly thing, with help
less wheels sticking in the air, like g
tortoise turned upon its back. 4
salad basket set across the road tt
stop the war hosts of the All Power
full War Lord. The Germans laughed
as they marched by it: There il
Luxembourg's colossal defense" A
motor van upset in ditch. 1t wa
a good joke; they did not forget tha
soon.
| Neither let US forget it. Let u