VI

The Key that Unlocked Belgium's Door

HE following article from the New York

Sun of January 4, 1916, describes the difficulties encountered in entering Belgium as well as the singular sequence of events which, in the end, made such entrance possible :'

Man He Helped Now Helps Salvationist Major Winchell, Barred from Belgium, Finds Old Protégé

Editor May Lift the Ban

A friendship that started when Major Wallace Winchell, superintendent of the Salvation Army Industrial Home in Jersey City, extended a helping hand to Dr. Maximo Asenjo, exiled governor of the province of Leon, Nicaragua, în 1911, while the latter was down and out in this city, is likely to be the agency through which the German government may permit Major Winchell to enter Belgium for the purpose of taking command of the Salvation Army relief work in that stricken country.

By a strange prank of fate the Major recently met Dr. Asenjo in Hamburg where the exiled 'By permission New York Sun.

Nicaraguan is editor of the Heraldo, the Spanish edition of the Hamburg Nachrichten, and stands high in the favor of the German officials. Dr. Asenjo introduced the Major to a number of dignitaries and outlined to them the work accomplished by the Salvation Army officer among the unfortunate in this country. He further explained to him the plans the Major has in view for relief work in Belgium and the Germans were so much impressed that the question of permitting him to go into Belgium was again taken up.

As a result of the interest which Dr. Asenjo took in the man who helped him when help counted most, it is believed that orders will be issued permitting Major Winchell to proceed on his mission in behalf of the suffering Belgians.

When Major Winchell was selected to direct the relief work in Belgium, General Bramwell Booth, head of the Salvation Army, said he wanted a man for the work who was a native born American and an American through and through. Although he carried personal letters from President Wilson, the Secretary of State and others vouching for him, Major Winchell was held up at Rotterdam. It was understood at the time that whatever feeling the German government officials had in the matter was due to the fact that Winchell arrived in Rotterdam not directly from America but from London, where he went to get instructions concerning his work from the International Salvation Army headquarters.

With the aid of Dr. Henry Van Dyke, the American Minister at The Hague, Major Winchell got a passport to Germany where he found his old friend and admirer, Dr. Asenjo, and through him was able to acquaint the German officials with the aims and purposes of his mission.

As Major Winchell was leaving Salvation Army headquarters in West Fourteenth Street, this city, one day in 1911, he saw a man who was apparently in great trouble and spoke to him. He was greatly impressed by the man's story-the unhappy person was Dr. Asenjo-and took him to the Salvation Army Industrial Home in Jersey City, where he cared for him until he was able to look out for himself. Dr. Asenjo eventually got in touch with some Nicaraguan friends in this city who were able to assist him and later he went to Germany.

In an article written for the Sun, Major Winchell says that Dr. Asenjo, through his paper, the Heraldo, is not only carrying German sentiment through Spain but to the republics of South and Central America, where for many years he was associated with the diplomatists of the Latin countries.

"Dr. Asenjo," writes Major Winchell, "comes from one of the oldest and most influential families in Nicaragua. His father sent him to Germany for his education. He was graduated from the Munich as well as the Heidelberg University. He also took a course in the University of Paris.

"On his return to his native country he was ap