Joseph E. Davies, however, has announced his determination to remain in Brussels to full the useful function performed by the United States' envoy in the last war.
The staff of the Italian Embassy are not being moved, and the Spanish Embessy is maintaining a skeleton staff in the Belgian capital.
The atmosphere in Brussels yestetday was one of extreme calmness, despite the German threat to bomb the city from the air—Reuter, Government Holding On Brussels, May 18.
"Our Government had, to leave Brussels on Thursday, but it is still in Belgium," declared M. van der Poorten, the Minister for the Interior, "This was a very sad decision, but was forced upon us owing to force of. cireumstdiices,"
The Minister said the present situation, without being so grave, reminded them of the first weeks of the last war. "We shall soon be taking part in the same redress as then," he declared and appealed to those responsible for arms, to extend to their compatriots their protection and devotion, and to be as closely united as brothers, "Our thoughts are with so many families who have been ruined, dispersed or decimated, and with those whose homes have been burned and have to face the troubles of tomorrow. Belgium will defend her independence to the end, knowing that without it, her country is as nothing. With her independence reconquered, all our hopes will be renewed," he concluded.
Heavy Losses on Nazis "Our troops methodically carried out movements foreseen by the plan of operations," states the Belgian war communique, issued last night, "Dur. ing Thursday afternoon, a regiment of light infantry which was participating in the defence of a canal distinguished itself by repulsing, with
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.