The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-04-13
RICH MANS RULE
CAUSE OF FIGHT
RiotIng in Belgium Due to Dis
parity of Political Privileges.
TROUBLE IS TO CONTINUE
GENERAL STRIKE IS TO BE PRO
CLAIMED TOMORROW.

n RUSSELS, April 12.-This exciting
n week ends with the IuH before the
storm. The coming week has al
ready been dubbed revision week, and
| it promises to witness important events.
A general strike has been proclaimed
for Monday. and on Wednesday a poIit-
ical crisis win be reached by the open
ing in the chamber of deputies of the
question of the revision Of the consti-
tuition, on which the Belgian people are
now divided. The Socialists and Liber-
ais have for a long time past been seek
ing to force the clerical government to
an issue on the question Of the electoral
law, modification of which viii necessi-
tate a revision of the constitution.
The soul Of the Socialist movement IN
Belgium is NJ. Van der Velde, a mem
Der Of the chamber of deputies. who Is
a brilliant speaker and has great in
f1uence over the masses. he IS tall and
1.-THE, with a quiet manner. He recent
~ married an English woman, who also
is an active Socialist and is president
of the WOm3n's federation Of Belgium.
A representative Of the Associated
Press interviewed D.. Van der Velde at
the close of the days session of the
chamber. He evinced the utmost read
mess to explain TO the American public
the situation in Belgium.
Trouble Is to Continue.
I'VE are determined to go on now"
he said, until we have secured re-
vision. Under the present unjust cleo
tOral regime the WOTkingman has only
100000 votes out of 1000 900, whereas
under the one-man one-vote system we
would have 400, 900 out Of ], 200 COO
The general strike next Monday VIII
testify to the strength of the Socialist
party. We count on 100, 900 strikers In
the mining and industrial districts.
where our call viii certainly be gener-
ally answered. We have invited thu
men TO act according to the best inter-
ests of their districts, and thus there
viii be no strike at Ghent, where the
textile industry Of the country is un~
dergoing q crisis, but there will be dena-
Onstrations in favor Of universal suf-
frage.
THE workmen of Brussels viii hold
a monster meeting Monday. to show to
the government the feeling that exists
here. We are urging the men to remain
absolutely pacific, but minor conflicts
such as have occurred are hardly avoid
able in view of the excited feeling that
men are difficult 70 control. especially
in view Of the aggressive attitude Of the
police"
No Help to Anarchists.
Asked if he thought the anarchists
were profting by the opportunity af-
fOrded them by the demonstrations re-
Gently made, Mr.. Van der Velde said
that he thought not, adding that their
number in Belgium is insignificant. He
admitted that there were a few an
archists in Liege and the other coal
fields, but declared they had little in
fiuence with the worl1men. He does not
believe that the explosion at the Ma
tionsl bank Monday was perpetrated by
anarchists or by Tevisionists. but thinks
it was merely the act of a mischief
maker.
Regarding the demonstrations
against the king last Wednesday, he
declared it was quite unprecedented.
Nevertheless said he, I'VE approve
it and favor any demonstration Of a
peaceful character which viii show the
king that we want revision. It is true
that cries of 'Vive Republique' were
raised, but we Socialists favor q re-
public, though our immediate aim IS
the revision of the constitution
Oncerning the revolutionary. songs
and cries raised by some of the reserv-
lists called out this week, NJ. Van der
Velde said:
They were quite comprehensive. The
army is composed mostly Of poor men,
because the rich purchase substitutes
Thus a large number of the soldiers
are Socialists. I believe that in the
event of disturbances, the soldiers viii
not shoot their own people"
Two of the socialists who were
wounded in the rioting here last even
ing have since died IN the st. Pierre
hospital. The news Of their deaths
spread rapidly, and q mob gathered
with the intention Of storming the
building and carrying off their bodies,
but it was intercepted and dispersed
by the troops Who are maintaining a
guard at the n0scital.
Max HalIes, a socialist communel
councillor, has been sentenced to two
weeks Imprisonment and to pay fine
Of IL francs for refusing to take the
cartridges served out to him as a mem
Der of the civic guard. He has also
been dismissed from that force.
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