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Show 1 UH To Make Consultation of the Nation a Reality on the Basis of Equal Suffrage Privilege. Brussels Is Still Frenzied With Happiness on Triumphant Tri-umphant Return of the . Royal Family. t BRTSSriLS, Nov. 22. (fiy the Associated Asso-ciated Press.) Kins Albert, having been received enthusiastically by the Inhabitants In-habitants of his redeemed capital today, made an important (speech from the tlirono in parliament liia firnt utterance In the capital sluo almost the beginning ot" the war. Near the throne stood General Gen-eral Pershing, representing the American army; General Humor of the British army and other generals. The chamber was filled with members, and In the galleries wan the diplomatic corps. Including Brand W hillock, the American minister, who returned Thursday to his post in Brussels. One of the most vital points In the king's address dealt with the question of eufi'rage for Belgium, and In this connection connec-tion he said: FOR FULL EXERCISE OF ALL CIVIL RIGHTS. "Thfj government proposes tfl the chambers to lower, by patriotic agreement, agree-ment, the ancient barriers and to make the consultaiion of the nation a reality on the basis of equal suffrage for all men of tin; mature age required for the exercise exer-cise of civil rights." This statement aroused a storm of applause ap-plause from all of the mombers. Referring Refer-ring to the future of Belgium, King Albert Al-bert raid: "Belgium, victorious and freed from the neutrality that was Imposed upon her bv f. tat en which have been shattered to their foundation by war. will enjoy complete com-plete independence. "llelglum, le-establls'.iivl In all Its rlglHH. uill rule i Lh destinies according to iu aspiralioua and in lull sovereignly." PERSUING ENTERS CITY QUIETLY AS SPECTATOR. General Pershing took no part In the parade or ot her ceremonies of the day, having entered the city quietly aa a spectator. spec-tator. It is midnight of the greatest day in the history of Brussels Uie day of the triumphal return of the royal family to their capital alter four years of gallant lighting against the German invader and the city is Hi 111 celebrating the homecoming home-coming of its king and queen. Brussels tonight was ahso.utely frenzied fren-zied with happiness. All the pent-up emotions of its people, which had been held In leash through these weary year-, by the iron hand of bondage, broke loose in a mighty volume with the advent 01 their king and queen, and the city which in years agone has been known as one of the gayest capitals in Kurope has I ecu swept with such a wave of patiiotie joy-ousness joy-ousness as It never experienced before. COUNTLESS THOUSANDS OF LOYAL SUBJECTS. Countless thousands of loyal subjects for hours have been literally dancing their way through the principal thoroughfares, thorough-fares, singing, cheering and laughing a..-they a..-they dance. Gray-haired men and women, wom-en, youths and maidens, children and soldiers sol-diers and civilians all have joined in the great throngs which have swirled hither and thither chanting their paean to the German downfall. The overwhelming reception given to the royal family tills morning upon their entry into the city from Ghent wns in itself unprecedented, but more remarkable remarka-ble scenes were to come. As evening fell, the city, for the first time in four years, burst into brilliant light. The street lamps, which had remained re-mained dark under German rule, were lighted and the night iitr Brussels was turned Into day. liven the changing eleclric signs on the big buildings 'began their endless play and sent their vjule-gated vjule-gated rays twinkling down on the streets as In te happy days before the war. .Many of the big restaurants are still closed, but others In plenty threw wide their doors to L'a crowds clamoring for admission. r--- flours passed, and "the Boulevard du Xord incidentally, this great thorough- . fare today was renamed the Boulevard Adolphe Max, In honor of the famous burgomaster and other neighboring streets became the playgrounds of hun- dreds of thousands of people. The Boulevard Adolphe Max itself was filled for hours with a crowd of not less than 100,000 celebrants. So rapidly did the merrymakers give way to others and move their activities to adjoining streets that probably no succeeding suc-ceeding hour found the same crowd tn the boulevard. There was plenty or music. It was mostly vocal, but here and there civilian bands blared their way I at the head of joyous columns. j "America Saved Us." j Cardinal Mercier and Burgomaster Max, two of the most prominent figures of the war in Belgium except King Albert, received re-ceived the Associated Press correspondent today. "You have saved us," Bald the cardinal, when asked what he thought about , America's participation In the war. "You 1 have saved the world." i Cardinal Mercier chatted with the cor- . respondent for more than half an hour. Referring to the change In the government govern-ment of Germany, he said: "I am no politician. However, the changes there seem too sudden to be lasting. The new government appears to me like a camouflage to the autocracy, and the changes seem to have been made to order according to prearranged schedule. sched-ule. Triumph Complete. "It is God's justice, and the public conscience con-science is satisfied. The triumph of justice jus-tice is complete; the barbarian device that might is right has received its death blow; the dream of pan-German domination domina-tion has been shattered and evaporated like noxious gas in the wind, and, thanks to God's justice, right has triumphed and the Belgians once more are free and independent. in-dependent. We have won the war." On receiving confirmation of the rumor that President Wilson planned to visit Europe, Cardinal Mercier said he was a great admirer of the president, adding: "Your president s a great statesman, one of the greatest statesmen of all times. The Germans' dark plotting and treacherous treach-erous diplomacv were completely foiled bv President Wilson's magnificently honest hon-est and implacably just messages." Burgomaster Max was nlore reticent and refused to speak concerning his treatment treat-ment by the Germans, refusing even to mention the word Germany. "'I don't wisli to pose as a martyr," said be. "I wish to forgot the past and think of the future." . The burgomaster asked the Associated Press correspondent to convey his thanks, to America and Americans for the tributes trib-utes of Fvmpathv and offers of aid from the United States. Referring to the more than four years of war, lie said: t "That has-been a long time, but we have no suffered in vain. This magiuti- , cent result is a great compensation and reward for all our sufiei ings. A new era is dawning upon the world an era ; of freedom, liberty and democracy. Never ; again shall the powers of autocracy pre- j, cipitale tiie world in -another such horrible conflict. The blood of our soldiers was not shed in vain. Wp have won and liberty lib-erty has triumphed.'' |
