ALBERT THE GREAT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 112, 13 May 1915, Page 2

ALBERT THE GREAT

BELGIUM UNDER THE CONQUERORS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, 16th March. M. Borboux, Secretary to the Belgian Chamber of Deputies, revisited his country from. England so recently as last month. With papers duly in order he entered at Maastricht and made for his own house in the country near Verviers. Giving a few of his impressions, he said that just across the frontier he spoke with a peasant, a man seemingly rude and insensible. The man was, indeed, insensible and struck dumb with the horrors he had suffered and witnessed, not knowing how far it was a dream and how far reality. His brother-in-law had a rope put about his neck, and so was led round the village; his own brother was made to hold, the rope, and at every few steps they compelled him to shout out that the Belgians were beasts, and that the Belgians were traitors. "Say it no more!" the brother bade him at last. Ajnd the same night, for that, they took him before a German officer, and the latter bade him open his mouth, and when he opened it he thrust his sword down the man's throat. Beyond Eyisden the open vehicle in which M. Borboux wae travelling was stopped by two drunken German soldiers. It seemed well to obey, and when the coachman was told to ask what they wanted the Germans _ only shouted : "Schnaps! Schnaps'" '"They are very drunk," cried the coachman, and whipped up his horses, and then it appeared the soldiers had lost their rifles, and so the travellers reached Herve. It was here that they fell in with the burgomaster of Battice. " Have you suffered?" asked M. Borboux. "Suffered, moii Dieu! They took me out into the fields, and made me lie there; I have lived off roots. They made mo lie there without moving my head, on threat of death, or without letting down my heldup hands. Before I was released my arms were numb and dead." Of Herve there remained nothing. The place was desolated. The whole countryside was desolated. All that gay and lightsome countryside, with farms and houses given names that betokened how joyful and gay a countryside it was, was desolated. Those who have seen it and seen the ruins of Pompeii say that Pompeii is not so mined as it. HOW THE GERMANS GORGE. Verviers was not a very large town, 50,000 inhabitants; of these 15,000 were Germans— they permitted too many Germans in Belgium. But Verviers used to be full of life, the home 6f artists, its people fond of the life of cafes and the open air. The Flemings lovo the good things of live. They like society. They like wine. The pictures of Jordaens and Teniers show the tradition of that .way of living. The Germane in occupation also love the good things of life, but they — they gorge. They eat until they have over-eaten, and drink until they are drunk. It is so at M. Borboux's own place. When you seek for permits in some office, German officers sprawl over the tables, gorged. In the houses they occupy they get up, you will be told, at 11, and eat. They write a letter or two, and go back to bod, and when they rise they start again eating aud drinking until they aro fit only for their beds. Tuelle est Kultur! It is difficult to describe the feeling that broods over Vorviers It escaped destruction by a miracle, but over it is a sense like the awe before a thunderstorm. And no wonder, with this occupation — a temporary occupation — by the Germans, who have proved themselves an innately cruel race. One knows the devastation of soldiery in war, but that men, many of whom must be fathers, many more of whom must hav# looked forward, to having children, should take the toys of children and wantonly scatter and destroy them! It is thus that the Germans have murdered the 6oul of Bolgium. Nothing has been safe from them. M. Borboux found that in hie own home. They took everything, especially metal things. They seized even the docks. They deemed to have a particular "down" on clocks. "Little wonder," a Belgian explained, " Time has been their chief enemy." But, M. Borboux said, though the Germans put restrictions upon all freedom, <jnd levy fines on every infringement of thfm, the" Bel gians are still permitted to cherish the portraits of their king and hie family. It seems as if the Germans, insensible to every other noble appeal, have really felt the nobility of the King, who henceforth will be known in history as Albert the Great.