especially of later years, where a great territory had been acquired in the Congo.  The iron and steel work of Liege was famous, Antwerp had become one of the chief ports of Europe and growing into a financial power.  But owing to the confined boundaries of Belgium, there grew to be a congestion of population.  This produced a strong democratic and socialistic uplift which even threatened the existence of the monarchy.  Also, all that monarchy seemed to imply.

The Belgians, doubtless with memories of the past, despised and hated the display of military.  Consequently it was only with difficulty, and in the face of popular opposition, that the Belgium Government had succeeded with military plans for defense, but imperfectly carried out.  Herein, perhaps, we have the keynote to Belgium’s desperate resistance to the German invaders.  In the light of the foregoing, it is easily conceivable that the Germans represented to the Belgians the military yoke.  They were determined to have none of it, upon any overtures or terms.  But they relied on France and England for protection, when common prudence should have made the mobilization of an up-to-date army of 500,000 men ready for the call to repel an invader on either of the frontiers, instead of the practically helpless force of 110,000.

The German General Staff did not believe the Belgians intended to raise a serious barrier in their path.  But with the crisis, democratic Belgium united in a rush to arms, which recalls similar action by the American colonists at the Revolution.  Every form of weapon was grasped, from old muskets to pitchforks and shearing knives.  It was remarked by a foreign witness that in default of properly equipped armories, the Belgians emptied the museums to confront the Germans with the strangest assortment of antiquated military tools.

As testimony of Belgian feeling, the Labor party organ “Le Peuple” issued the following trumpet blast:  “Why do we, as irreconcilable antimilitarists, cry ‘Bravo!’ from the bottom of our hearts to all those who offer themselves for the defense of the country?  Because it is not only necessary to protect the hearths and homes, the women and the children, but it is also necessary to protect at the price of our blood the heritage of our ancient freedom.  Go, then, sons of the workers, and register your names as recruits.  We will rather die for the idea of progress and solidarity of humanity than live under a regime whose brutal force and savage violence have wiped outright.”

The Belgian General Staff, foreseeing dire consequences from such inflaming press utterances, warned all those not regularly enlisted to maintain a peaceful attitude.  Disregard of this admonition later met with heavy retribution.

On Wednesday, August 12, 1914, a German cavalry screen, thrown in advance of the main forces, came in touch with Belgian patrols.  A series of engagements took place.  The Germans tried to seize the bridges across the Dyle at Haelen, and at Cortenachen on the Velpe, a tributary of the former river, mainly with the object of outflanking the Belgian left wing.  The Belgians are said to have numbered some 10,000 of all arms, and were successful in repulsing the Germans.