Widnes Examiner. — 1915-05-15 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

DESPOILED AND BROKEN, BUT STILL QUEEN OF NATIONS.  BY C. E. PARKER.  The defence of Liege torts disputed the German passage and kept back the German invaders eleven days. All know the value to the Allies of this delay. It allowed France to complete her mobilisation, gave time to dispatch the British Expeditionary Force, and destroyed the legend of German invincibility. But the brave stand at Liege was not all that Belgium did. The Belgians were not bound in honour to the Allies to continue resistance when the Liege passage had been forced. They were not obliged to form a first line of defence for the great Powers. They might well have said: "We have done what we can. We are incapable of withstanding the Germans further. The more we resist the more our country will be devastated." Anticipating surrender, the Gerthans sought by bribery to get Belgium to stand aside, but she refused the bribes, rejected all the offers made. The choice she made involved the burning- of her homes, the destruction of her cities, the starvation and death of tens of thousands of her inhabitants. She put aside political expediency, and took her stand on lofty national idealism, although the other course meant ease, comfort and self-interest on the lower plain. Belgium did not pause to calculate the cost of loyalty to the principle of national freedom. This decision was not alone that of her King, or rulers, it was the nation's choice. All racial, religious, and political differences were put aside, and the nation presented a united front to the invaders. Inch by inch they defended their territory. When Liege was taken they withdrew to Louvain, Malines and the Forts of Namur. When this last stronghold fell- with a loss of 14,000 Belgian soldiers, the remaining 12,000 retreated through France, shipped from Havre to Ostend, and rejoined the army in Flanders. A United Nation.  And again, when Brussels, their capital, was captured, there was no thought of surrender ; the army retreated, step by step, to Antwerp. They hesitated not to destroy their dykes and devastate their lands /by flood to keel; back the foe. Full credit has been given to Belgium for the initial resistance at Liege, but not enough for her continued resistance afterwards, when she still fought alone. After the fall of Liege our thoughts ,were so centred on the advance on Paris that little attention was paid to the struggle in Belgium, where, field by field, village by village, the advance of the foe was disputed. Termonde changed hands twice, at Malines the foe was beaten back three times, and it was bombarded five times, and all this when not a single French or English Army Corps was within striking distance.  When will their glory fade? "4Honour the stand they made!  Nor was it entirely a question of national independence with the Belgians. They grasped the truth that there was something greater involved than even their own national existence; they recognised that this was a crusade of national civilisation, of eternal right, against brute force. Nor was it alone the heroism of King Albert and his associates. Unless the same spirit had animated the army and the nation, the dispiriting conditions under which they fought the rearguard action in their retreat before the Germans, they certainly would have yielded. To the coarse German mind Belgium committed national, suicide—but she saved her soul alive. In so doing Belgium laid us and the world at large under an obligation which should be honourably acknowledged, and no effort can be too great to succour, to heal and to restore. Not for long must Germany be allowed to press his brutal hoof on this courageous nation. Succour Due From Us.  It may appear a sudden descent from the realms of high idealism to the practical question of the homing of Belgian Refugees in this locality. But the thoughts which come from the higher reaches should find an abiding place in our minds and supply the power to face the practical problems which arise. With such a fount of inspiration the difficulties and disappointments disappear. I would not under-rate these difficulties. The conditions are of that character that such are sure to arise. We have the fact that the Belgians are dowered with about as much original -sin, ignoraire, and prejudice as a corresponding lot of our own people. We group different families together in the same home as best we can, but, after all, it is a haphazard arrangement. We expect them to settle at once and manifest a harmonious home life. These separate families have to adopt a common method of life, however much this may differ from what they are' accustomed to; to share with strangers the same common rooms' eat at the same table live the same life. Was there ever such a fertile soil for the growth of trouble ?  In a very little cottage one family will do, There never was a castle that was big enough for two.  Then again there are the problems of workers' contributions, catering,, pocket money allowance, clothing, and a hundred other things. It requires endless patience to cope with these, and to all is added the language difficulty, and different modes of thought and manner of life. ,It is only those who have endurance,. patience, and wisdom that ought to engage in this work. But the work is well worth doing, and very interesting. In the great majority of cases the doer is cheered by the gratitude, and often by the love of the people helped; but if not, then, what matter? If the consistent performance of our national and humane duty is made dependent on expression of gratitude from individual lielgians, then we may expect cases of failure and disappointment.  If Not Lodgings, Then Money. In addition to our obligation to those who have .sought shelter on our shores, there is the pressing need of succour to' the much larger number who have been unable to leave Belgium. The pitiful condition of these, many of whom are on the verge of starvation, makes an imperative demand upon our assistance, and I should very much like to see a fund started in our town, and the proceeds to go to the national effort. Both of the need and of our obligation to meet this need there is no question.  Belgium.  lleartstruek she stands—Our Lady of all  Sorrows— Circled with ruin, sunk in deep amaze; Facing the shadow of her dark to-morrows, Mourning the glory of ,her yesterdays.  Yet is she queen, by every royal token, There, where the storm of desolation swirled; Crowned only with the thorn—despoiled and broken— Her kingdom is the heart of all the world.  She made her breast a shield, her sword a splendour, She rose like flame upon the darkened ways; So, through the anguish of her proud surrender Breaks the clear vision of undying praise.