The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
THE GREATER INDUSTRY"
THE PRoGRESs OF THE SOCIAL
MOVEMENT IN BELGIUM.

ment In the Country whore It Appears to
Have Reached Its Highest DeveIopmentGireu
In = journal OF Copenhagen, tho TeisLuer.
1t was subsequent to tho year 1880 that tho
"Greater Industry " awoke to life In Belgium.
As elsewhere. II carried In its train the germs
Of n proletariat OF workingmen with many un.
satisfied demands. which later were summed up
under the title OF " The Social Question:
In Belgium the transition to greater industrial
activity differed greatly from the transforma.
tion In England, where a revolutionary tide
swept over the manufacturing centres, as IL
were, breaking away from all traditions Of the
past. Among tho Belgians the movement
toward industrial ACKNOWLEDGMENT was more
gradual, and was carried along the lines OF n
cautious extension OF the existing smaller estab-
lishments. The textile manufactures in Client
and Vcrviers, the iron foundrlcs OF Charleroi
and Liegc, the coal mines at Mons, can all point
back to moncst beginnings when master and
man worked side by side under the patriarchal
regime OF a long nEo. The consequence OF this
development Is shown by the spirit OF patron
and client, which still remains a feature of the
Belgian workshop.
Before the movement for expansion as we'll
as after, the Belgian employer considered him.
self the natural protector OF his workmen. Con-
sequently the workingmen of that country did
not reach the wrctched level to which their
English brethren sank when manufacturing on
the larger scale was introduced. On the other
hand, these conditions among the English acted
as an incentive to the protracted and indefati-
gable warfare which has resulted in their
present economical training. The patron sys-
TEN Of the employer weakened the force of the
blow when it struck the Belgian workingman.
It is true. but at the same time it retarded prog
ress toward independence and self.rcliance.
Nor was this protection always as disinterested
| ma miuht appear Tho emnlOyera act asite cpr.
tain funds to secure their men against need In
case OF accidents, which the newly introduced
machinery made frequent, but quite often the
money for this purpose was obtained by de-
Quoting specified amounts from the wages OF
the earners. The worker had nothing to say in
the management Of the money. and II he left
the factory, all benefits from the fund he had
made possible ceased.
The employer built houses for tho many work.
ing men that the new conditions brought to the
factories, but no one was allowed to own the
home he dwelt in. And while stores were estab-
lished for the p~raiscworthy purpose OF supplying
goods at first cost, 1t soon became the practice
to make those establishments yield revenue by
substituting inferior wares at high prices. Buy
ing at such stores was a matter Of oompulsion.
Under this system OF more or less unselfsh
protection the employer held undisputed sway
over his men. considering all discussions with
ehehh n oCio NE iBhit NV altchlpt AZ
independent association as a rebellious infringe
ment on his prerogative. The workers. on their
side. had the same attachment for their shops
that they had for their families, and frequently
is this system that the events OF the last decade
have made to tremble on its foundations.
er easss'i Ind dust : SI's %activ shs " The meeh 1HMer is
still the dominant force in the capital Of Bel.
S Were tor rrS% t fmq }irs, ' trsa ,n'e anions i6 6o Belrinmt
In ls4o; The matters made the start; the print.
ers, go'dsmiths. and glovemakers followed.
s%tructing the mutual aid societies societies de
occurs mutuelsl which arose in Belgium. as In
France; at the beginning, OF the century. and
dissolved guilds. a historical continuity cx.
1t less surprising, that the former retained
ter. The number OF apprentices was held
in check, members received benefits in
when old age hindered work aid was Extended.
Politics was banished from, all the meetings.
s sss an inc sn 'ar r S' S s"s ssoaea 'a at. ~ The priS S1fssss
which were theirs by virtue of the technique OF
arch s;Sia SrIf ,r5 raised dn secure 9 TIa around u the in:
kets was; therefore, easil, in their hands. 1t was
during this period that wages Of mechanics in
Brussels rose from 3 to 4 and 5 francs per day.
In spite OF intense opposition on the part of
the manufacturers the cotton spinners OF Client
their kind. the union later destined to be tho
sorl Of the socialjs,ic movement in Belgium.
Az hiob Pctiou III tlc Dtikldn luDoT move
."TnternNtionale." Everywhere workingmen
headquarters for the socialism OF that day. But
BRUSSELS hesitated to accept the new teaching;
count several of the unions among its sections.
This condition was short-liycd, however. After
successful strikes there followed a dissolution.
and In 1873 only the cotton spinners and the
tact outside TsFke of ESe Brnss thei m SFfS"niiTs!i Sniob Is,
From this time on. nevertheless. the Belgian
labor movement assumed its marked socialistic
With the formation of the Belgian Labor party
iParti Ouvrier Belgel in 1885 the third period
In the labor movement OF the country began.
This time 1t was not enthusiasm for an abstract
doctrine, but the desire to reap material bene.
operative broad factories, that sold their prod.
ucts considerably cheaper than, the bakers.
To be sure. cooperation had been tried before,
for production as well as for ump but
failure, and managers had to be placed in charge
whose interests were far from identical with the
The first cooperative bread factory was estab-
lished at Client in 1880. the cotton spinners'
trades union advancing, the necessary money.
The experiment proved successful beyond all
calculations. voruit forward, soon counted
Its mo5 %sm fnr RIB 6E the thSnsSnds and became the
dustrial centres of Belgium.
The Labor party consists at present Of three
and Verviers.L iese, and a trade federation, the
mine workers, which again is divided into four
~ ichF hllohc. E-uSh i0utTht1On contains ITAle
unions and likewise mutual aid societies and pc.
litical clubs.
The federation of Client has attained the most
complete organization. with the cooperative
society Voruit as its nucleus. The baking in.
Iustry has been completely revolutionized.
Economy and cleanliness have supplanted the
undesirable conditions that prevailed, and the
middleman's profit is shared by the consumers.
But the cooperative plan does not apply TO the
bread factories alone. Extensive shoe and
tailor shops are now In operation as departments
OF the Voruit establishment. and. besides a 10,
oacco factory and a large cafe, 1t has also con-
nected with 1t d dispensary. where members, by
paying weekly dues OF fve centimes, can obtain
a physlcian's services and medicines.
10 become q member of Voruit 1t Is necessary
20 declare In favor of the programme of the
francs. But no money need be paid, inasmueb
as the amount may, be deducted from the result
ing profts. This Is the principal reason why
the basis for tho labor movement in Belgium
rests on the cooperative establishments.
Inc trades unions are only secondary consid-
srations In the organizations OF the Labor party.
Inc miners. the metal workers. and the textile
workers are the mainstays OF the socialistic eio-
ment. The skill needed Is so trifing that all at