The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-10-24
THE KING OF BELGIUM

"We are too near the tragedy, and
have our minds filled with too many
anxieties to be able to measure this
vast wrong. We see it only in frag-
ments as an incident of the great
struggle in which the destiny Of the
whole world is at stake" So did a
well-known writer sum up his out
look on the tragedy of Belgium in the
early days of the great war. 1t was,
indeed, in the very early days. The
nightmare of the Twelve days." the
fall of Liege, the sack of Louvain,
were the horrors of but the day be-
fore. The retreat from Mons was the
terrible news of the hour.
More than five years have come and
gone since them, five years crowded
full with happenings which few or
none, five years ago, thought they
would ever be called upon to witness
and experience, and yet it is ques-
ton whether the world is not still too
near the tragedy to measure the vast
ness. Each month that passes, how
ever, renders the view more just.
Belgium, her tragedy, her heroism,
and her final victory are steadily roll
ing into perspective. The smoke OF
battle is clearing away, and the more
it does so the more clearly does one
figure stand out from the rest as very
worthily IMPLYING the courage and
devotion of a whole people, King
Albert of Belgium has had much said
in his praise, more perhaps than any
other man who has deserved well OF
his fellows during the last five years,
but he has earned it all. And yet, 1t
is doubtful whether, even now, the
tremendous nature of his stand for
righteousness on that Bird day of Au-
gust in 1914 is fully appreciated.
No one knew better than did King
Albert what it meant when he re-
fused the Germans passageway
through his kingdom, declared his in
tention of defending Belgian neutral
ity to the uttermost, and, turning
round, made his supreme appeal to
Great Britain for help. The man who,
as Prince and King, had studied Eu-
ropean conditions with that devotion
which his high sense Of duty always
demanded of him; who had, again and
again, come into contact with the
German method, and was seeking pa
tiently and determinedly to save his
country from Denomination; the man
who, although essentially a man OF
peace, had seen so clearly what was
coming that, during the few short
years given to him, he had revolution
lied his army; such man was able
to gauge perhaps better than most
men, what the consequences OF stand
like his would be.
And then, how easy it would have
been to have compromised. How
broad was the diplomatic path along
which he and Belgium might have
made their way, playing safe" with
both parties, and how utterly, in the
superficial view, would she have been
justified. France, however willing,
could not be sure of saving Belgium.
Great Britain, with her tiny army,
however eager to stand by her word
and come to Belgium's aid, had no
chance of winning the terrible race
against time. And no one, again,
knew this better than King Albert.
On the other side there was Ger
many, Germany of the fair words and
fair promises, asking nothing but a
passageway for her troops, willing
and more than willing, that any com
plexion should be put upon it by Bel
gian statesmen so long as she gained
her purpose, a short cut to her great
knockout blow at France. How read
, ! ily would Germany have consented, on
the Ord day of August, 1914, to sub
nit to all manner Of vituperation If
this submission was the price de-
manded for a free course to France.
, 1t would, indeed, have been situation
after Berln's own heart. Brussels Of
, ficially hurting recriminations across
, the frontier, whilst secretly aiding
and abetting the march of the German
armies. Belgium. however, would
have none of such treachery, and
foremost in making this decision was
King Albert. Those who were pres
ent in the Belgian Chamber on that
I, memorable August morning when the
; great decision was finally announced
could never have had any doubt as to
the grand union in which King and
people were acting. There was no
doubt about that fierce, thrice-re-
peated eyes" which greeted the King
: question as to whether the deputies
were determined to "hold inviolate the
country of their fathers" And there
: was no installing the great roar OF
! applause which greeted the Kings
; closing words: 81 have faith in our
9 destinies. A country which defends
I itself compels the respect of all. That
= country never dies. God will be with
! : us in this just cause. Vivi la Bel
q gique independence"
, And so the die was cast. That af.
! ternoon, in the American legation al
/ Brussels, Won Strum, the secretary tc
v the German legation, told the Ameri'
9 can minister just what was coming
9 "Why don't they get out of the way
a Why don't they get out of the way
| know what it will be. know the
4 German army. 1t will go across Bel
j GUM like a steam roller; like {
steam roller!" How the German ar
- mics went across Belgium the worlc
knows. Within three months of that
memorable scene in the Chamber Of
Brussels the country lay PROSTATE
y hundreds of her villages in ashes