The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-14


 have stopped taking their parties through the different salients be- cause tbe signs of devastation have almost passed away
 In the Footsteps of the Germans
 You all knew how roughly Belgium was dealt with during the World war. She incurred the anger of the Germans by holding back their armies when they had prepared to bounce down upon Paris. In 1914 they had one million men massed on the west ern frontier, and on August they invaded the country. On August 5 they bombarded the forts Of Liege with the biggest guns ever known up to that time, and within week three of these forts had surrendered. In the meanwhile the, British had walked up and were pouring in soldiers, the French were massed along their frontier, and the five German armies were 90 delayed by little Belgium that Paris was saved and the war eventually won by us and the allies.
 After entering Belgium the Ger man forces divided. Some came on and occupied Brussels and thence made their way .tc Malines and Lou vain to begin the short siege of Ant werp. Another force successfully bonn barded Namur in the valley of the Mouse, and ,on August P, eame he great battle of Mons, where the British with ..76,000 infantry, 10000 cavalry and 312 guns engaged S0Q.000 Germans and were gradually driven back, step by step until they reached the Marne. But that is a part of the story of France.
 After the battle of Mons most of Belgium was evacuated by the British and French. Brussels had already been taken over by the Germans. two days before, Maiines had been de- stroyed by big guns. the cathedral of Louvain battered and its library of valuable manuscripts and 100000 vol umes systematically burned, and the troops were besieging Antwerp. which was held by the Belgians under King Albert
 # During the bombardment of Ma lines and Louvain hundreds. of busi- ness Buildings and private dwellings were reduced tc dust and the same was true of few hundred structures in Antwerp itself. During my travels have visiteds each of these ties. Many of the buildings have been re- stored and in some cases much better ones created. The streets of Louvain are Stiil lliltu rNitIl toBSli terial, and net work of scaffolding poles. tied together with ropes. runs arc und the cathedral and the old liz brary, and as far as the modern city is concerned the town will soon be in better shape than ever before. The new private buildings are artistic. Many of them are of white stone and some have their walls decorated with carvings. All are in harmony vita the old surroundings.
 L0uvain and the American Library
 L1uvain's new million dollar library the funds for which are being raised by GAO colleges and universi- ties in the United States, is fast go- ing up. and is to be eompleted in 1925. It is not on the site of the old one, but it faces the Place du Peuple, which is filled with old forest trees and there are large flower beds in one of the squares a the side. The design is by Whitney Warren, an American architect, and the building harmo- nizes with the typical architecture of Belgium. It will ehave two stories with a high ridged roof, above which a huge bell tower will rise. Across the front are to be sunk great letters reading. "Furore Teutonica Diruta, Dona Americana Restituta," which means 'pestroyed By Teutonic Fury, Restored by America's Gfft.o When : s-s s-z..s~ .4 ~ s4 .sscA