Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-24
EDICT OF FREEDOM.
The Official Announcement of King
Leopold's Proclamation.
MANY GLASSWORKERS AFFECTED.
The Trades Council Preparing for the Great
Labor Day Parade.
A HINTTO EMPLOYERS OF HODCARRlERS

Arnold Schneider, the local consular
agent of Belgium, has received an official
announcement of the proclamation issued
recently bylLeopold H.. King Of the Bel
gians, by which all deserters from the Bel
gian army are relieved from all penalties,
together with q copy of the proclamation.
1t is of much interest to many local glass
workers, and other tradesmen, as 1t Is estl-
mated that nearly 1000 Belgians in and
about Pittsburg will be favorably affected
by the order.
On July q, King Leopold celebrated the
twenty-fifth anniversary of his ascension to
the Belgian throne. 1t is the custom in
monarchies to grant an amnesty to crimi-
nails on such occasions, and King Leopold
had no desire to deviate from the estab-
lished rule, although nothing of the kind
had ever been done by his predecessors for
the people of Belgium. On the day of the
celebration he issued proclamation de-
claring all deserters from the Belgian army
freely pardoned and relieved from all pen
atty, upon the condition that they make
personal application to proper officers for
certificates setting forth the facts that they
are entitled to the benefits accorded by the
proclamation, and giving complete record
of their military service.
THOUSANDS BENEFITED.
Many thousands will be benefited by this
generous edict, as it covers all time in
Belgian military history. Those deserters
in Belgium are given one months time in
which to make application for the proper
papers; those in the countries touching
Belgium, three months; all in other Eu
ropean countries, six months, and those in
transatlantic countries one and a halt years.
The proclamation is broad and liberal, and
is considered to be one of the most humane
acts ever performed by any European coun-
try.
Mr.. Schneider also received letter from
the Prince of Chimay, the Minister of For
eign Affairs in Brussels, asking him to give
the proclamation all the publicity possible,
SO that the Belgians in this city might ap-
ply for the certificates, which Mr.. Schneider
is also authorized TO issue. Some have
already made their applications and certif-
Gates will be issued in a few days. The
Belgians are mostly glassworkers, and in
this locality are formed in colonies.
They are located chiefly at Noblestown
and Mcdonald, in Washington county;
Tarentum, Butler. Ford City and Cochran
station, where they are engaged when they
are employed as plate sglassworkers. To say
that all of these men are deserters and are to
be benefited by King Leopold's amnesty,
would be an injustice, and would create
wrong impression in regard to the race; but
it is admitted that many of them will come
under its provisions, and not only those who
al ,lx mil ha
ment, but also those who stole uniforms and
other military effects, if possessed of the
proper papers can return to Belgium at any
time with perfect, safety and without fear of
prosecution.
On the same day upon which this procla-
nation was issued King Leopold made
will bequeathing the sovereignty of Congo
to his country, saying in spirit, if not in
words, that the country and not men should
be sovereign after his death. This an
nouncement was hailed with great delight
by the people, and Leopold's. name will be
honored for time to come in consequence.
A LITTLE ABOUT LEOPOLD.
Leopold, whose full name is Louis Phillip
Maria Victor, is the King of the Belgians,
Duke of Saxony, the Prince of Saxony-Co-
burg-Gotha and Sovereign of the Indepen-
dent State of Congo, in Africa. He was
born in Brussels April 9, 1885, and sue
ceeded his father. Leopold l., July 81, 1865.
In speaking of the proclamation and the
effect it will have on his people here, Mr..
Schneider said yesterday: "This is the
very best thing that could have been done
for the encouragement of our people in
America. Many of those who deserted the
Belgian army are industrious workmen and
are proving to be substantial producers.
Some OF them have, through careful econo-
my, acquired some wealth and would enjoy
a trip to their native country, but heretofore
did not dare to do so. Our people make !
good citizens when educated and encour-
aged in citizenship. have had at least
dozen applications within the last week
from men desiring to buy real estate and
erect their own homes. A very large per-
centage of all the Belgians who come here
are competent workmen in some trade, and
they are not the people to interfere with the
wages of American workmen, either"