The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-02-22

Way back in 1914, when the war
first started, can you remember
What you did and what you thought
when you first heard there was
war? Very probably you don't re-.
member much about it. If you had
been little girl or boy in Belgium,
you would be able to tell a great
deal about all those days at the
very start of it all.
Germany had a very carefully
prepared plan of action. 1t was to
crush France land this meant going
through Belgium whether that little
country wanted or not), then to
crush Russia and then Great Bri-
tain. In the early part of the war,
this plan was just like timetable,
and had each step scheduled by the
day and the hour when it should
happen.
OF course Belgium and France
didn't know about this plan, SO
rshen they realized what was hap
lesaing, they were SO entirely sur
prised that they let the plan go its
way at first.
But later, we found out that Ger
many didn't know some other
things. for instance, the spirit and
ability of the countries she intend
ed to crush, and this was what up
set the plan SO badly. and at last.
made it only another dream bub-
BILE that had bursted.
Belgium was over run by the Ger
man armies in 16 days, just a short
time, but it was ten days longer
than Germany had planned it would
take her to pass through those
lowland countries. This delay of
ten short, but lucky (for the allies)
days gave France time to mobilize
her army. The Belgiums were
plucky, everyone of them, men,
women and children. The Belgium
army was quickly mobilixed. and
the boys as well as the women and
children tried their hardest to de-
fend their homes. They gathered
everything they could to build up
walls, behind which they could hide
themselves and fire at the thous-
ands of Germans, all in their grey
uniforms, tina. we're steadily march
ing toward them.
Brave resistance was put up by
these splendid people at Lege. and
Namur, but it seemed impossible to
keep back that great army. and SO
at last, Louvain was burned and
Brussels was entered and all the
riches of that wonderful little coun-
try were plundered and robbed and
destroyed by those war mad sol
liers. The beautiful country Of Bel
GUM is in ruins and her people are
sad, but her spirit is finer than
ever, and that spirit viii build up a
nation that will be richer in every
way than the Belgium that was
struckdown by the invading armies
of the Central Powers.
But it isn't only the people of
Belgium that are wonderful, it is
her leader, himself, King Albert Of
Belgium.
Probably you have all looked at
his picture and perhaps admired
the features and the lines of that
face that show patience, courage
and strength. King Albert is all
that and more. He is rather young,
for his birthday was April s, 1875,
and he is handsome, loves every
thing that is good, his home, his
country, his people 1.-THE working
classes as we'll as nobility and is
great worker. He was always a
good student as well as good sol
der. He became king of Belgium
in 1909. His wife was duchess,
Elizabeth of Bavaria. and they have
three little children, who are just
as full of fun and play as you are
only of course their names are long,
because they happen to be royal
children. They are: Prince Leo.
pold, Duke of Brabant, about II
years old, Prince Charles. Count OF
Flanders, about 10, and Maria Jose
about z years old. Their mother
Queen Elizabeth, has done q great
deal Of Red Cross work, and has
gone into groups Of all kinds OF
people, rich and poor. carrying re
lief, and all the Belgians love her
TO- fhay fool that cho ia fho;,