South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-15

-HERE is no Queen in Europe who
has won a stronger place in the
- affections OF her people than Eliz-
hbeth. Queen OF the Belgians.
No revolution threatens her. No RED
Guards win disturb the security of her
self or her family Even If Socialist
government were established the people
would surely keep the King and Queen at
the head OF the State.
Why has the Queen Of the BeIgians es-
pecially won a lasting place in the affec-
lions Of her people7 Because she has
stayed with them IN all their miseries.
Because she has given all her jewels for
the relief OF the homeless Because she
has nursed her wounded countrymen with
great skill Because she has lived through
out the war IN a humble house on the last
strip Of Belgian soil that was not con-
zuered oy the Germans.
Perhaps the strangest fact Of all about
the Queen is that she is of German birth
She was the duchess Elizabeth Of Bavaria,
member OF a branch OF the Bavarian royal
family. So thoroughly has Queen Eliza
beth identified herself with Belgian
tional life that the Belgians have quite
forgotten that she came from the race that
caused all their miseries.
r When the Germans broke into Belgium
In August, 1914. in spite OF the solemn pro-
tests OF King Albert. the Queen deter
mined to remain with the Belgian army in
Gil their struggles. She stayed in her
palace In Brussels until the Germans had
reached the suburbs of the city. and then
she retreated with the army.
"As long as one square foot OF Belgian
soil is left. I viii stay on It," declared the
Queen, and right well did she carry out
this brave resolution.
Her three children, too young to be OK
posed to the horrors of war when~it was
possible to save them, she sent to Eng
land. Her Oldest son, Prince Leopold, was
then thirteen years old. Prince Charles
was eleven and Princess Marie Jose eight
When The battle lines had become al
most fixed after the first great onrush of
the Germans and their subsequent defeat
at the Marine, there remained of Belgian
soil in Belgian possession a triangular
strip. twenty miles long on the North Sea
and about fifty miles at its greatest depth.
The twenty-mile coast strip ran from
Newport IN Belgium to the French border.
This patch of territory was too small to
be the seat OF a government. The Belgian
Government was therefore, moved to the
French port Of Havre. But this was much
too far from Belgium to suit Queen Eliza.
beth.
She made her home at Newport, in Bel
GUM, within range OF the German big
guns Her house was actually at La
Panne a fishing village and seaside resort
near Nieuport Il was a wretched-looking
modern villa OF red and yellow brick of
the kind that middle-class Belgians used
10 keep for their Summer vacations. Her
house was one OF row Of six. all exactly
alike The others were occupied by mill
tary officers, members OF the Kings and
Queens household and so forth. The sim
uarity between the houses made II tmpOs-
Bible for a German aviator TO pick out the
sne occupied by the Queen
The houses we're almost on the sea
sands. The sand blowing from the dunes
pbliterated the lawns and gardens culh-
Fated by the former occupants OF the
villas.