The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-10-02
BELGIAN KING
WAS REPORTER
ON u. S. PAPERS
Albert Worked Also as Ship
yard Man-Queen is Cook,
and Both Are Beloved.
(By Associated Press)


NEW YORK, Oct 2-Albert l., King
OF the Belgians, the only newspaper
reporter who ever became a monarch,
is A years old and is one Of the most
picturesque figures of the Great War.
The King took a postgraduate
course in newspaper training in
1905 when, somewhat like Peter the
Great, he visited the shipyards OF
France, Great Britain, Italy, Germany
and Scandinvi, to learn everything re-
sarding ocean carriers with the ex-
rectation at some future time Of
putting Belgium high in the class Of
maritime powers.
Several years previously, it is said.
when merely the son Of the Count Of
Flanders, nephew Of King Leopold
he came to the United States and
worked as a reporter on one or two
newspapers in the northwest.
Succeeding to the crown on Deem
Der %, 1909, Albert l endeared himself
to the 100000 people of his little
kingdom. The abuses of the Congo,
which had brought upon the head Of
his aged uncle Leopold. the condem-
nation of the civilized world, were
abolished and the King and his beauti-
full consort faced the prospect of a
long and happy reign in country
where 'tramps, idlers and soup houses
are unknown"
Faced Huns UndauntedIy.
Then came the war. The King of
the Belgians might have yielded and
escaped much of the hardship and suf-
fering that was the lot of himself and
his people for more than four years.
Needing not the specious promises Of
the Germans to pay Belgium huge
sums for the privilege of crossing her
soil to attack France, the gallant King
rallied his army of 100000 men and
placed himself at their head to ght the
invader.
When the German armies violated at
Wise the neutrality Of the little nation
they were pledged to protect, they met
with the most stubborn resistance
from the valiant but numerically in
ferior BeIgians at the fort of Liege
and Namur.
During the great conflict King Albert
spared himself none of the rigors of
the soldier Often he exposed himself
to shell fire and aviators' bombs burst
about him. Once a German shell tore
off the wheel of the automobile in
which he was riding. At another time
a chauffeur who had been promised
100000 to deliver the King to the
enemy was shot dead as he endeavor-
ed to drive the royal car into the Ger
man lines.
My skin is Of no more value than
yours" he told his heartsick soldiers
On their retreat from Antwerp. My
place Is on the firing Incl"
Queen Handsome Woman.
Queen Elizabeth, who was married
to King Albert in 1900, as the Duchess
Elizabeth of Bavaria, was described
at the time as "a strikingly handsome
woman" The marriage was quite gen
orally supposed to have been genuine
love match. Three children have been
born to them. the heir apparent,
Prince Leopold, Duke Of Brabant,
born November 5, 1901; a second son,
Prince Charles Theodore, born in 1908.
and a daughter, the Princess Marie
Jose, born in 1906
The Queen is highly educated and
fond Of music, literature and art.
Music is said to be passion with her
and she is an accomplished violinist.
She also plays the piano and mandolin
with much ability. 1t is said that she
has a marked preference for the old