The New York herald., 1921-07-17

is approximately $t50000 The total cost of
the building will be ten times that amount.
I have every confidence that the money Will
be forthcoming but my heart is set on see
ing it come from all of us, not from veal
thy few. The right way of reminding our
people that what we have undertaken can
not be carried out without the snews of
building must be found, and the result will
be what everybody who indorsed the idea
hoped that is, the gift will be in truth
Americas"
Lest we forget that the destruction of this
library of priceless books and incunabula
was wantonly committed. it is good occa-
sionaly to refresh the mind with unpreju-
diced accounts of what did occur the
night of August 25 1914.
Louvain had been occupied by German
troops for eight days previous to this date.
All the library premises were closed and
the residents of the town forbidden 10
leave their houses after o'clock IN the eve
ming. August 25 was the first night of fire,
pillage and massacre. On that night fire in
the library broke out suddenly. No one was
permitted to pass "A Gordon of troops thrown
around the building.
Prof Delaney thus testihes:
Eight days after the fire I saw the ruins
Of the library, and even then was only able
TO look at them from distance and at CON
siderable risk. Broken pillars an impossible
heap Of bricks. stones and beams smouldered
in the fire which slowly consumed thousands
OF volumes between huge portions Of dan
gerous and threatening walls: that was all
that remained of the majestic building known
as the Halles Unversitaires and OF the rich
treasure IL contained. In the streets of the
ruined and deserted city, where the Ger
man soldiers were completing their work of
pillage, and further on even into the coun
try. leaves Of manuscripts and books fiut.
lA.,t I..Tf
the wind"
Professor Tells How the Germans
Made the Crime of Louvain Complete
Prof. Delanoy's testimony is very neces-
sary i'm the face of a claim made by the
Germans that the treasures of the library
were not burned but that van loads of stun
left the place before the fire. He was the
librarian Of the university and went there
on August 81, 1914, to see IL anything could
perhaps be saved He says he was pre-
vented from doing anything to save the
books and manuscripts.
Professor van der Essen is another wit
ness he says:
During the fire the doors OF the library
remained locked. as they had been since the
outbreak Of tho war The Germans did not
penetrate the building but contented them
selves with smashing the window looking
on the Vieux Marche. Through that win
dow the Germans introduced some inflam-
mable liquid and fired a few shots, causing
an immediate explosion. In such a way by
the use OF chemicals. may be explained the
fact that on the morning OF the twenty
sixth the whole library was already de-
stroyed a thing which would have been inn
possible I'm the case OF the building being ac-
cidentaly set on fire by the neighboring
houses. No soldier entered the library dur
ing the fire and no book and no manuscript
was taken away"
Professor van der Essen saved by chance
the manuscript No. 9O6 which contains the
official correspondence OF the university from
1888 to about 1887. He happened TO have
this manuscript from the library at his home
where he had taken II for consultation. II
Is practically unique for the crime of Lou
vain" was thoroughgolng