Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-06
:: The Truth About Bel GUM =:
= BY BRAND WHTTLoCK =


assembled by the patron who ex-
plotted these women. They made,
perhaps, a franc a day, and when
the war came on and no more thread
could be obtained. and no lace could
be shipped out. there were forty
four thousand lace workers nearing
starvation. The queen was gone,
but the ladies of the committee her
majesty had organized asked my
wife to accept the honorary presi-
dency: assurances were obtained
from the Germans, the c. r. y. was
authorized to import thread and to
export the lace. and the lace indus
try was placed on a basis il had
never known before.
II not only saved the lace workers
from their immediate plight, but 1t
released them from their old thrall-
dom to the patrons The artists OF
Brussels. under the inspiration Of
the Comtesse de Beughem and Mad
anne jesse Allard, who directed the
vast enterprise, made new designs,
prettier than any lace known be-
fore, and each woman was allowed
to make a whole piece-which meant
emancipation. And not only were
the "deRtellieres' Qace makers) Civ
en- employment. but what was not
less important in it's ultimate result,
a new aesthetic appreciation of this
rare and beautiful art was created
in America
The War Cannot Last
The winter was over and spring
had come and, to adopt a phrase
from that wonderful first paragraph
OF Tolstoy's Resurrection" spring
was spring, even in Belgium. In the
Place de TIndustrie the young leaves
were a vivid green, the soft buds
were falling on the damp pavement.
The flower market in the Grand
Place was once more blooming in its
brilliant colors. Walking one morn
ing in the rue de la Paix l saw a
pretty boyle could not have been
fifteen-playing a guitar: he played
il loudly and triumphantly, and II
was the prohibited "Marseillaise"
that played, Windows were flung
UP suddenly all along the street.
there was delighted laughter and
clapping hands. sudden shower of
coins on the sidewalk, and then all
the windows were as suddenly
closed Along the avenue Louise UNI
der the budding chestnut trees the
whole population seemed to be TAX
ing deep limitations of the spring
air, basking in the sunlight after the
dreary winter. German soldiers sat
before the open cafes drinking beer
as thought they were quite at home,
but the people went on their way
calmly as though the soldiers did
not exist, a way of sending them to
", TO which they could send them.
In the Bots people were rowing on
the little lake. youths and maidens
were counting. and children playing
hide-and-seek behind the noble trees.
In the park old Won Kissing. in his
biueish-grey coat, with the broad
white collar and the red revers, the
cap with the red band. and an enor-
nous saber clanking against his
boots. accompanied by an aide, was
taking the air, walking slowly,
stiffly. like an automaton. The
spring seemed to have affected him,
too; he was just out in a new "af-
fiche" (notice) about the pigeons. In
view of the excellent conduct-either
OF the Belgians or of the pigeons,
the "affiche" was not quite definite
O'Clock TO s, but at that hour they
must all be snugly in their coots
once more. 1t was a fact, album
dainty recognized by all, especially
ON sunny mornings, that the war
could not last another winter; there
were innumerable reasons, military,
political. financial, dynastic, social,
and hope was high; the allies might
arrive at any time.
1t was impossible to resist the
temptation of the fields. the wistful
haze. the warm air, the sky without
a cloud-without- even the usual
ugly German captive balloons to
mar it Every one felt the need Of
movement. the longing to get away.
but since the Brussels folk could
not go far-there was always the
question of "passierscheins," which
spring itself. alas: could not amend
they would invade the Foret in
bands on Sundays, and explore all
the lovely land toward Tervueren.
A few friends and l even ventured
out to Ravenstein for a round of
golf; true, the course had not been
kept up; the two English profession
ais were gone-Parnell in the Brit
ISL army anu hyle a pTlSOlCE at
Ruhleben; the members were scat
tered. the grass was long, and few
had the heart to play any more. But
the old chateau was a peaceful place
of an afternoon; the larks were soar
ing and singing again, and there
were other songs, or one afternoon
there was fanother song, from the
road that lay across the fields to-
of
children was winding along the road
far in the hazy distance, their clear.
sweet, childish voices came to US,
borne in the breeze-in the strains
of Ia Brabanconne." My companion
turned away. biting his lip.
To be sure, we of the legations
were shamefully privileged; we
could motor where we would, as long
as we stayed in the occupation
gebeit." Villalobar frequently drove
to Namur to inspect the chateau de
Dave, belonging TO his aunt. who
had fed before the oncoming tide of
war and was in Spain. And now and
then I was called by some duty, or
IL not by duty, by some within, to
Dinant or Louvain or Mons. and the
drives never lost their charm. Much
of the country about Brussels
showed no physical effect of the
war. though one could never escape
its presence. the grim fact of it, or
rid ones self of the depressing
pi'eoccupation that all was not we'll
with the world.
Once under it's influence one can
never escape the spell of Belgium,
or wish to do so. Ii is not only
picturesque, but, a detail that pic
turesqueness in certain other lands
too frequently lacks, il is clean;
not a fallen tWig that is not nick