Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-20
PRESIDENT VIEWS WAR
! DAMAGE DONE BELGIUM
Escort Americans Through
Country.
LAND DEVOID OF ALL LIFE
Much Territory, but Long Stretch OF
Devastation = Royalty Presents
Proof of Systematic Campaign OF
Destruction.
rBv Associated prcss.l

TBr Associated Prcss.1
/. BRUSSELS, June l9,-Presidcnt Will
sen. who reached the Belgian capital
las; night after a days trip from the
border Which took him through the
distric: devastated by the war began
the second day OF his visit to Belgium,
this morning by motoring TO Charlero
with MIS- Albert The King expected
TO show the American executive the
obstruction wrought by the Germans
in the mines at Charleroi and suppl y
HIM with d0s"mrntarv information OF
the wholesale and systematic destruc-
j ton prac;iced by ,he Germans.
>. Dresden; and, Mrs. Wilson. with
,lteir guides. yesterday saw the dcras-
taiion visited upon Belgium by the
a Germ. =, The iirSt par, OF their visi.
only NJ. Wilson. but those accompany
Ing him. The second phase was of an
r entirely different CharGCtc"
were encountered. In the afternoon
The appearance. OF the President at
HIpres, os'end. zeehrugge, and, finally:
demonstrations that might have been
IcGSrTded GonqnSrinE hero. With the
Margaret Wilson. s. NJ. Baruch Nor
man Davis. General w. w. Harris; Her
bert Hoover, chairman of the inter
allied food commission. and Commander
Baker
But Few Ceremonies.
The night run from Paris ended at
6 6eisian frontier, where King ALERT
There were no ceremonies on the
train other than The ordinary greet
little station building, which had been
claborately decorated. the party moved
10 iq,n lon, ,9ns line Of cars and began it's
abandoned country.
ha fTSm to pem to Time s ths esyacsds
,In
NS;::eeuport was the first halt. President n;
W,hbsoh' who was riding with King
mrs Wilson and walked through what
mad been the City of Nieuport TO the
ruins OF the canal.
From Newport eastward along the
ola line OF trenches TO Dixmude, where
the lines at one time almost touched
each other, the party alighted at one
or Two places TO inspect ,he nature of
me trenches. 1t then went on toward
> pres Al that part OF the ride was
IN an almost deserted country. There
We're very few refugees and there could
be seen little attempt toward reclaim
Ing the soil.
Like Dend Country.
IT was like a dead country. Here
but always his face expressed seeming
hopelessness Ypres, however. showed !
n somewhat greater display of ANNA
ton. Notwithstanding the terrible de-
struction wrought there. few former
residents have found their way hack |
and Il dozen or more frame buildings
restaurants, drinking places and small /.
shops.
A semblance OF civil government has
been restored in this district. and the |
cent. thanking him for what America I
did for Belgium The British garrison
and a number OF British nurses added
10 the crowd that gathered 10 welcome
~
on the Ypres battlefield is
a Almost completed, bur enough remained
and his guests. Scores OF battered and /
broken tanks on both sides o. Ypres
served TO justify its characterization
as the tank graveyard"
The party .unCheG in picnic style in .
the iioulthoust Forest. This piece OF |
woods, Ike AL others in that zone. is
but The skeleton OF forest, II was
we'll back o: the old German lines. In (
Me3!a, where me work OF destruction f!
WAS less marked, the people gave The .
rsTty The a7st real greeting OF the day /
emily a! ne inhabitants. were in the
streets. Schools were either dismissed !
or the pupils We're brought in a body /
20 Join - the demonstration
Received Mt 0stend.
From Roulers the scene ot much I
hard lighting because o: It's Strategic I
!mpo. lance The route turned north /
va. excep: through Inc visits Q: bomb |
ing a!-p.aaes ot which there was !
2 D y 4 IAN evidence Throughout
crowded streets and along the sea
wall. alive with pleasure seekers, the
President was taken on TOUR OF me
buildings ~reckeii by a;ynec. A. the
city hal. he Pres ID en-; signed his
name, :: the request OF the burgo-
master. in BOOB. filled with the
names. o: notab!es VINO had visited
Ostent.
through B.ankel6ergh 20 Zeebrugse.
The motor ride ended AZ Zeebrugge,
the tourists boarding a train there 70!
The vis!, at os;end was most in
taken OF. 20 the Mole, which was
broken III april 1915, by the British,
and from there saw the resting parts
OF the hul!s OF vessels which we're
sunk IN The channel 10 the sea At
Zaebruggs Captain Carpenter. former
C2mmander OF The British battleship
Nindictiya wu.cn fgured in III. 49,;
tack on mat. t-boat base and which
later was sunk at Ostend mel the
party. aud with Captain Nevins. senior
otlctr. accompanied Mr.. Wilson at the
request Of tn King, explaining how
the attack was made.
-, BRUSSELS was reached al SIS O'Clock
through the cheering crowds in the
streets and past buildings bright with
states the President was taken 10
me palace "here he was presented
70 members OF the household lie re-
nr "a ?. az too