1933-12-23 — Page 15

PICTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1933.

BELGIUM HAUNTED BY MEMORIES OF 1914

THOUGHTS FOR DEFENCE

MEUSE RIVER TO

BE KEYPOINT

While the representatives of the big Powors have been racking their brains at Genara to find a disarma- ment formula that will suit both Germany and France, one of the smallest free countries in the world has boldly gone out for more armin- ment. Belgium is determined to play David to Germany's Golfath- if need be.

It is one of the most striking evidences of the fear of Nazi-ruled Germany. The rattling of the Hitler sabre at vast gatherings of Storm Troops, the Gorman pro- paganda in the provinces of Eupen and Malmedy, which were taken from Germany and restored to Belgium, a dozen other inci- dents at frontiers, have suddenly ended a Belgian Internal quarrel which has lasted for over two years,

TWO YEAR ARGUMENT.

In 1931 the Belgian Parliament approved a scheme to put the country in a state of defence against Germany. The Iden

Wis

to have a chain of concrete pill- boxes for machine guns, similar to those erected all along its eastern frontier by France.

In case of a now German war, Belgium wanted to be in a poal- tion to defend itself in conjunction with the French army.

But at once a serious quarrel nrose us to how this should be done. General Gallet of the Gen- érol Staff of the army did not fa- vour defences on the frontier, nor on the right lank of the river Meuse. In fact, he wanted the fortifications to start at the river Escaut.

10

BRUSSELS

MONS

#

NETHERLANDS

MAGSEY

BELGIUM

LIEGE

DINANT

FRANCE

GERMANY

New frontler defences are planned by Belgium's soldier·king, Albert, shown at top review- ing his troops. Permanent defence lines of small and large forts would run from Arlon, join. ing the Franch border defence there, Maeseyck on the Dutch border. are drilled for gas attacks (lower right). ... Note how the proposed defence line follows the Even school children Meuse to the great fortress at Liege where the Germans smashed through in 1914.

"FORGOTTEN MEN" PROTEST.

Not only was this plan resisted by successive Ministora of War. but it aroused intense protest in the country. There are really two sections of Belgium-the eastern one, known as Wallonie, where the majority of the people are Walloons and speak French, and the wostern provinces, where most of the people. are Flemish and talk.that language.

The Gallet acheme virtually abandoned Wallonie to the tender. merries of the invader. It left open two-thirds of the little coun- try. It meant the loss at once of

of the most Buportant industrial cities of the Kingdom. Recently Wallonte hold its annual fete day. In overy clty and town the Walloons, whether Conserva-. lives, Catholics or Socialists,

номе

Hurry!

united in demanding that the de- fence scheme should include the whole country and not part of it.

CABINET HEADS PROTEST.

Albert Deveze. Minister of De- fence, was of their opinion. He has been fighting the Gallet plan for, a long time. He was an ill- cer in the World War, and he saw the destruction. the German

Hurry! Hurry!

the

wrought, The upshot of whole thing was that a low davi ngo. an extraordinary cabinet council was held under the proal- doney of King Albert, the soldier- King.

Doveze told the Cabinet that ha was determined to provide for the defence of the country as a whole. He wanted a system of concrete pillboxes for high-power machine guna built uninterruptediv. from Maeseyck to Arion, so as to con- stitute a continuation of the French frontfor defence system. The old defences at Liege and Namur would be rolnilt and strengthened by a chain of nine forts around Liege and seven more at Namur.

But, more Important, he would put in a state of defence the great plateau of Herye, which is in front of Liege and dominates the ap proaches from the Germany city of Aix-lu-Chapelle.

IT'S COSTLY,

Other defence menus he plann- nd wore increases in the anti- aircraft forces, more fighting and bombing planes. Increased heavy artillery and a vast increase in the Intest types machine guns.

of powerful, rapid

The Cabinet unanimously nc- cepted the programme, which will now be laid before Parliament. where it is hoped it will be speedily rntified.

The sum of nearly £40,000,000 will be needed-about 7 per cent. of the annual national budget. In peacetime the Belgian army Is corn- posed of about 86,000 men and has, at present, 195 army aircraft.

WAR MEMORIES.

The course of the German World War thrust through Belgium lay north of Liege, but establishment of a new fort at that point be lleved to have made that route now unlikely. It is just south of Liege that fear tow centres, and the new defence works will probably be especially strong there when the Belgian Parliament finally approves

the scheme.

It is generally recognized that the exact frontier line of Belgium on the east cannot be defended. But the Meuse line of defence might enable the Belgian David to hold up German Goliath even longer than he did in 1914. Grim mémory is prodded by the fact that one of the strongest points on the now line. will be at Kombourg, the little town into which German Uhlans trotted on Aug. 4, 1914.

PAGE THR

ZERO HOUR AT THE DENTIST'S

Foof foo fumi

My appointment's nearly Fum foo fil fee! Who'd change places now

mo?

By MAURICE LANE-NORCOTT

Well, well, woll. Would you be- Hovo it? What a strange, what a flekla tooth! Throb, throb, throb all the livelong night, and when it gets here what does it do? Why, nothing; that's what it does. And, like a small, tired child curls up in goodness! you don't have to tol

Are you telling mo, follow sleep. (That's Browning, ignor-In less than three minutes now ant.)

bo in there, pointing at it with My heavens! I can't think what | Anger, T-t-that's the one, we're all doing with teeth in a dentist. T-that b-big 1-follow setentific age like this. Why can't we bite our food by electricity? Why doesn't It just melt in our mouths like butter? Oh, I don't I don't know. Teeth just grow, I suppose. They shoot up regardless.

But fancy being a dentist now! With all the lovely jobs to choose from, fancy, deliberately becoming a dentist!

"And what would you like to bo, my little lad, when you grow to man's estate-an engine driver or a greengrocer?"

"Oh, daddy, I'd simply love to be a dentist and bore great holes in people's teeth"

Nasty little beast!

tho

L-back. Itit oughts c-c-come out, I t-think,

Change and decay, nil-aro I ...

'Now that's odd, That's deeft! queer! That large lady with muffled face has just picked up Monde Moderne from the ta Oh, boy, what. a cultured dent It beboves us to polish up. languages.

dealre the gas, the novo-caine,

Bon jour, monsieur lo dentist the extraction with forceps, t hold! I open wide the mouth boucho). Regard this bicu hero (fel). It aches with a fert terrible to feel. I will take a Ĉ ble dose of that drug there: (la), will have a second helping. needle of that ayringe is too ble I am not yet of an unconsclousi What sufficient! Lo! The acreams

the victim give terror to strangera (etrangers) 1. Mon di The jaw-bone also is extract There! (Lal) I depart in pain w curses 1:

Yet, I don't know. about the Gas Company. with its everlasting ugly threats? What About Mr. Tatkins, of Tatkins, Tatkins, Son, and Tatkins, Solici- tors and Commissioners for Onths?

As, so you've got a little trouble with your upper bicuspid, have you, Mr. Tatkins? I sce. Well, just open wide, please, and I'll prodit thoroughly with this sharp prong There! That hurt you a great deal, didn't it, Mr. Tatkins? Yes, I guessed it would. And that's a rather excruciating pain, too, inn't it? Don't bother to reply verbally if you'd sooner write. I know what a one you are for letters, Tatkins. And now, nurse, if you'll kindly hold this solicitor down, I'll slightly wrench his upper bicuspid with this antiseptle tweezers.

Oh, boy, boy! Why have we been wasting all these years with the ill-paid literary work? Why didn't we become a dentist while we had the chance?

•

Dear, dear, dear. Hore we with our teeth, and "The Mons in splendid solitude at last. Al of the Glen," and that detesta clock. Tick-tock dickery do Poor Ind, you're in for a shock!

Pah! What nonsense you te fellow! Haven't you heard of less

dentistry? Well, yes, heard of it. Still, I've heard of 1 of incredible things in my ti For instance, I've heard of.

Merciful heavens! Did you b that, anyway? And that and th My poor, poor man. That was Blumph, I'm afroad. Undergoin little painless dentistry.

Ready? Oh, is he, n-nur T-then I'll ç-come in at once.

ONLY THIS AFTERNOON

AND

EVENING

TO BUY

YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS

For the convenience of our Customers who are busy all the week our Store will Remain Open

This Afternoon

SATURDAY, 23rd December

TILL

SEVEN

O'CLOCK.

Bring the Children to See the TOYS.

The Biggest, Best and Brightest Show in Town.

DO

YOUR LAST MINUTE SHOPPING AT

WHITEAWAYS The HOUSE for GIFTS. Hongkong

Page 15Page 16