Evening star., 1934-02-18
ALBERTOF BELGIUM
KILLED IN PLUNGE
Heroic Monarch's Body Hid
den for Hours in Noun
tain Gorge.
tContinued From First Page.)

mace and was born in 1876. In Octo-
Der, 1900, Albert married her at Mu-
mich.
She was only 38 years old when
the war broke over Belgium, making
that country its most violent theater.
Her husband had been on the throne
not quite five years
Her social work has brought her
honest acclaim from peoples other
than her own. Holder of a medical
degree, she was able to discuss with
the most competent authorities the
latest developments in campaigns
against tuberculosis, cancer and
other world scourges.
She was mainly responsible for the
creation of the Foundation Refine
Elisabeth" which attached to the
Brugmann Hospitals, aims at the SCI
entific development of medicine in
Belgium, chiefly by the creation of
research laboratories.
Nursed Wounded.
AS trained nurse, she worked
actively through the war. first in the
Ambulance Corps that she organized
in the first days. and later at La
Panne, at the Ocean Hospital, per-
sonslly attending the war wounded
and comforting them.
She is modern Queen in every
sense. No Queen has ever travelled by
air as far as she-more than 1000
miles over Europe and Africa.
One of Most Beloved Rulers.
General interest in the welfare of
his people made Albert one of the
most beloved rulers of the Old World
His courageous defense of his little
kingdom during the early days of the
World War, in which he participated
actively to the end, cast him as one
of the heroic figures of that great
struggle-the outstanding hero in the
eyes Of his subjects.
With the beginning of hostilities,
King Albert took commend of his
troops and directed their movements
until the enemy forced the retreat of
the brave defenders. After the fall
of Antwerp the King and Queen sent
their children to France, while they
accompanied the retreating army, TAX
ing refuge in France
When fighting ceased with the sign
ing of the armistice on November IL,
1918, King Albert and Queen Eliza
beth, after four years, re-entered their
own country at Ghent few days
later the king at the head of his
troops returned to Brussels amid the
joyous acclaim of the people.
For many years previous to the
war, King Albert and the former Ger
man Kaiser had been close friends.
1t was during a state visit to Ger
many in November, 1913. that the
former received an intimation Of the
then impending war. At a reception
at Potsdam. the former Kaiser and
Gen. Won Moltke informed him that
they considered war with Francs i'm
minent.
Anxious for the position of his own
kingdom and people in such a crisis,
King Albert gave warning of it to the
French Ambassador at Berlin through
the Belgian Minister at the German
capital. When Germany was about
ready to strike, it was said that the
Kaiser expressed the belief that AL
bert would not resist the advance of
his troops. On July 81. 1914, whan
the crisis came to head, the Bel
gian ruler communicated with the
German Emperor, reminding him of
the respect due Belgian neutrality.
The reply was the Geran ultimatum
Of August 2, which actually was the
signal for beginning the war.
Takes Command of Troops.
Albert's determination to challenge
the invasion of his country was mani
tested when, taking command of his
troops August 6, 1914, he said: "a
neighbor, naughty in his strength, has
torn up a treaty bearing his signature
and has violated the land of our
fathers because we refused to violate