The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-03-20
WHAT NAME FOR THIS9
(By Ellis Parker Butler.)

slender lad like David, tending thu
ficcks of peace while all around hin
slept the Goliath nations. He is arme(
with his sling and pebbles, this Bel
GUM, but he has no fear, for thu
giants have sworn that however much
they may battle he shall not be
harmed. Then upon him leaps a lial
giant, a breaker of promises, and
cries Stand aside, weakling! Break
thou thy oath and let me pass"
Scared, bruised, wounded but
fighting still, the youth Belgium
fell back and back before the steel
clad, blood-reeking monster, and Bel
GUMS name shall ever be honored.
He used the sling and the pebbles
well and fought 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 I think of as a maiden. Like
Belgium, Luxembourg was a neutral
lied nation but, unlike Belgium. Lux,
embourg's neutrality was an un,
armed neutrality. Child" the ma
tions said to her, you are our little
sister and we will keep you inyiolate.
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 1867. Her only fortress was
then dismantled and RACED to the
ground and her army was reduced
and limited to one company of gen
darmes and one company of infantry.
Thus she was made powerless to re-
sist. She was made as defense!ess as
Nydia, the blind girl of Pompeii. It
was like some chapter in tales of an
Client chivalry, with Luxembourg the
tender, helpless maiden, surrounded
by the brave and true knights sworn
to protect her. Had the knights sworn
by the blood of Christ Gas knights did
in olden days. their oaths could not
have been more solemnly sacred. A
pledged word is a pledged word, and
dcubly sacred when given to the help
less. The giant nations kept their
caths sacred Except Germany. Elk.
cept 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 years Ger
many can not wipe out that stain OF
a neutral nation violated; but let us
not forget Luxembourg.
Without fort, without an army,
drew up across the road
the Germans were flooding, motor
van (called panier-a-salad, salad
basket. The Germans laughed and
rolled It into a ditch, and the mighty
host Of invaders, having long been
ready, marched triumphantly into
Luxembourg's long-dismantled for
tress. 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 motor van dumped into
ditch? It Is silly thing, with help
less wheels sticking IN the air. like
tortoise turned upon its back. A salad
basket set across the road to stop the
wal hosts of the All Powerful War
Lord. The Germans laughed as thew
marched by It: "There is Luxemr
bourg's kolossal defense" A motor
car upset in a ditch. It was a good
Joke; they did not forget that soon.
Neither let us forget it. Let us not
forget that if anything could be more
vile than the rape of Belgium. the
of helpless, unarmed Lux
was ten times more vile
When the time comes to demand
reparation for the wounds Of the