The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-15

Published by special arrangement
with the Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
Copyright, 1918. by Brand Whitiock,
under the title, Memories Of Belgium
rights reserved. Copyrighted in Great
Britain. Canada and Australia, All
rights reserved for France. Belgium.
Holland, Italy, Spain, Russia and the
Scandinavian countries,)
Such was the ambient element of
our, life during those strange days Of
waiting. and Of worry, while that fatal
deadlock perpetuated the uncertainty
In the reorganization OF the relief work,
opposing opinions, i~ealousies and judg.
nlents seeming strong enough only 10
and produce inertia, II had been plain,
many ana America at war, the Amer
leans, even II they desired, could not
| remain long in Belgium, travelling
about at their viii and pleasure, in
spectinE the distribution OF food and
reporting on German lnterferences
and abuses.
But there were some who rlunr 10
the Illusion that 1t might be, and cfnng
TO II almost TO the last, and no argu-
rnent seemed powerful enough to shake
their fatal i~nfatuation. And so all the
while, as the two nations were drifting
into the inevitable clash OF war. Greg
Org and ] kept on urging that pro-
vision be made for replacing the Amer
leans shall not describe in detail
the almost endless and futile confer
ences IN which the matter was dis
GUESSED over and over In a hopeless,
vicious circle.
Our meetings, once 30 Interesting,
had become dull; the break In dlplo.
matte relations, the coming separation,
the '~impepding change, the uncertainty
- 70 the future, the eyer-present
tbs9sE9 itt ' tSs i Ss ElsmTss, ssfi .pififsa p snd
discouraged US all, and the WEAKNESS
Of the long strain was apparent to
everyone NJ Francqul seemed to
have nc more those Jokes, those flashes
Of wit that had once enlivened US and
kept up our spirits, We discussed the
were still being shipped in hundreds;
had private information that the au-
thorities wetE powerless to prevent 1t
but these things, once so momentous
in the trouble they oceasioned, seemed
now to be small in comparison with
the larger problem. There mere utter
w%GSS Wsf. E iSTs Ss q maRHaIst[teiare,@@' eT said
Baron Lambert, rising one day after
we had been In discussion for an hour,
II have a feeling that someone should
he the first to 30. ana III be that one"
Mr., Gregory produced some effect
by his announcement early l \ March
| all the Americans should leave at once.
II know THAT | shall" he said. In
| country, or At least not in the enemy's
country-lf he can avoid it."
But woilld he be able to avoid 1t,
and would all those other Americans
be able to avoid 1t, II we did nothing =?
into Ersea Ss"i T., Snd again ]Isr thss the he
brought In and distributed over Bel
V%oSlileenhoven, Sut Holland vas y nearer
Belgium than spain, and Dutchmen
more accessible than spaniards, and
the marquis could net 80 easily or 50
men. II is not. I trust, too ch~auvinistic
to say that II was not easy to find men
Of the character OF those who had
| served without pay and as volunteers
| the commission FOR relief in Belgium.
Then We had what was always &c
me good ns%sIKs g 0Gs rN was o SUm, 4isl
cussion until he arrived. had not as
vet sent any answer to Won. der Lanck-
ems letter; I had been hoping that W.
could reach some solution that would
enable me 10 write definitely, but !
could leave u no longer unanswered
| dtlu I NNhi MY NttAiINi lHtiE iSilN
Legation Of the United States o.
America, Brussels, Feb. 26, 1917.
MY Dear Baron;-1 have the homo
to acknowledge receipt Of wi kline
letter 81 even date, In which you reit
crate the desire, WHICH you had ALREADY
OF February to his eXcellency tn,
Marquis de villalobar, to see the worl
Of the commission for the relief il
Belgium continue, n my association
with II. As | have written to his eN
cellency the Marquis OF Nillalobar |,
acknowledging receipt Of a copy OF YOU
letter, the American gentlemen of tn
commission for relief In Belgium ar
always ready to continue their worI
In Belgium. as / myself should b
happy TO remain associated with tina
work under conditions compatibl
honor "a, occupy In the diplomatic serv
Ice Of the, government OF the Unite
Statee OF America
You are good enough also TO re
mind me OF the conversation which
had the pleasure of having with 70
and in the course of which ! told 70
that II we found means OF r~econoiln
the demands OF an unprecedented sit
nation I should gladly prolong my sta
In Belgium in order to look after tn
continuation Of the proper funotionin
OF the commission for relief In Bel
GUM.
II thank you again for the homo
you do me in urging me, under III
present circumstances, to remain !
Brussels, and ! shall postpone my de
pafture until the questions still in dis
!. pute concerning the relief work al
settled; because | am certain that W
all have the same desire to spare n
pains In brinEing abput the accom-,
mishment of his. humanitarian worl
/ To which your efforts and your Kind
Lneen. have always BEEN % pfrciepA
ETbrNw anEanA my aAaT hAx4n. fhA Al