The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-05-10
SOCIAL UNREST IN BELGIUM.

From Catholic clergyman, long a
resident of Brussels. who is thoroughly
FAMILIAR with political, social and in
dustrial conditions in Belgium, the
Monitor of San Francisco received the
supJolned communication. The state
/ ments present in strong relief the sal
lent features of a situation little known
and less understood among Americans
! In view of the public interest evoked
here by newspaper reports of the re-
cent disturbances which at one stage
seemed to threaten the very life of the
nttle kingdom, these timely observa-
tons of one who knows, are entitled to
the prominence which we venture to
| accord them. This is the Belgian
! priests communication to the Monitor:
| was surprised to see you make so
hight, in your last issue, of Belgium s
late trouble. 1t seems, by your es-
innate, as if all consisted of a few
+ oashes of the pen written to amuse our
! paper readers or else to satisfy the
Itch of writing of some correspond
ents.
Il believe such an idea does not har-
monte with the real state of affairs in
Belgium. Undoubtedly there was some
scene shifting of rather rapid ma
ture, nevertheless there is real danger
hanging over Belgium, and awaits only
a suf1cient opportunity to drop, and
then revolution and bloodshed
We read so much of socialism on the
continent that we are sick and tired Of
it 1t is painted in all its worst colors,
and then we are told that men who de-
mand, the rights of free men who de-
cialists. Be they what they may, they
have perfect right to voice in the
government and administration of their
country.
In Belgium a large percentage of the
people is shut out from everything.
They are in the country and of the
country for only this, it seems, to toll
and work and grin and bear with the
whims of worthless politicians. Would
Americans stand the same state of af-
fairs that obtain at present in Bel
GUM? Certainly not! Americans de.
mand equal rights. Rich and poor
should and must be one, for wealth is
but the veriest accident, one of the
NEST transient kind. In Belgium every
man has not d vote. 1t is hard to see
the wealthy man because he is
wealthy, with three and four votes,
while the poor man, because he is poor.
has none. 1t is not reasonable. Such
things we thought were long since
dead, but yet it seems as if their ghost
still prowls around waiting to be ex-
orcised and sent forth.
The little kingdom of Belgium was
truly convulsed and hundreds of thou
sands of artisans laid down their tools
as protest against the present re-
gfme. In a second it was all changed.
Why? because of the peculiar circum-
stances in which the Belgians are. 1t
is a small country with an immense
population. It's area is but 1913
square miles and it's population is T..
90, 000 Some are very rich, but the
vast majority are struggling from day
TO day A strike then of few days
duration means little to the employers,
but starvation for the employees.
1T was feeble effort, vain and
vicious one # you will, but in such cir
cumstances the least effort is a great
effort, and its viciousness is we'll justi-
fed by it's cause.
Conservatism. the antiquated and
ridiculous idea of keeping voting
power in the hands of few.fiis Bel
GUMS greatest enemy. The poor ar
tisan and laborer may be goaded on to
do foolish things 1T has been so in the
past and the laborers are disguised
with both Liberal and Catholic admin
istrations there. They have had a trial
Of both, with therresult that they see |
forced to band together in |
lawless crowds to tear from the hard |
hearts of tyrants and politicians their |
Just rights. Who can blame them? |
Not certainly Americans, who are and |
should be proud of their universal |
suffrage and unionism and it will be |
happy. Some radical change, if not |
evolution, is necessary. otherwise the
quickly established peace may be as
quickly torn asunder by a greater and
more successful effort on the part of
abor.'