The sun., 1908-09-22
Belgium In the Grip Of Germany.

From ne National Reriep.
The Germans are slowly but surely invading
Belgium. and they regard that little kingdom as
their future prey. How could IL be otherwise7
Tho Pan Germans, who are almighty Just now
In Berlin. ere ambitious-German tradc wonId
gain much by tho adjunction OF the Belgian
coast 10 GermAny's. This Is, I am well aware.
only dream at present. but every one knows that
the Pah Germans are not nero dreamcrs. The
population Of Germany. tho trade Of Germany
arc daily expanding. where win the surplus
OF the population gof Certainly not TO tho Ger.
man colonies, where tho rule Of Germany has
not hitherto been very successfully established.
Where thenf To the Western Hemisphere
falling the means Of emigrating so far away from
home the German emigrates 70 Belgium and to
Holland. Then, again, through what channels
will the overlooking exports Of Germany reach
their destination Hamburg, Bremen, Altoona,
&C.. are already too small for present needs. ],
Is common knowledge that tho Germans have
their eye on Antwerp. v
OF lAte emigration toward Belgium has been
systematically encouraged In Berlin. No stone
has remained unturned by the wilhelmstrasse
authorities. The number OF German oonsulates
In Belgium has been increased. cheap railway
arrangements have been made for omigrants. DO,
and consequently the number Of Germans living
In Belgium has risen. According TO the census
Of 1890 there were 5000 Germans In Belgium,
according 70 that of 1900 there were $4,000. and
90 rapid has been the movement this century that
were census drawn up to-day the ngure would
not be far from 10000. And the tide Ia rising
daily. This neure only includes the real Ger.
mans who have remained faithful 10 their ma
tionsilty. To those loo.Ooo-one must add abou,
40 many former Germans who have been re.
Gently nAturalzed Belgians, but who remain
true Germans TO the backbone.
Respecting the trade one canaassert that Ger.
many has ousted from the Belgian neld ali her
competitors save Great Britain and France, and
while her imports into Belgium used 20 hold, say
ten years ago. the NTH or sixth rank. they have
risen this year to the second or third. Germany
has, wisely enough, secured . solid foothoId In
every Belgian city. In Antwerp. the commercial
metropolis of the kingdom she controls the en-
tire shipping trade through the two powerful
German combines Of the Hamburg American
L4ne and the North German Lloyd, and tho bank.
ing and export business Ia largely In German
hands The Antwerp exchange has given sea a
70 q great number Of German brokers, and the
rest Of the trade 10 carried on by a heavy pro,
portion Of Germans. Ihsvo myself often noticed
the somewhat significant fact that In Antwerp
the man In the street knows no word OF Frenoh
very little Flemish, but speaks German 1uent,y
result Of the steady policy OF Germanira tion
which 10 carried on not only by tho Gernfana
Individually but also by the numerous yereinc
which have IN recent years been created every.
where In Belgium. There are some vereipe In
Brussels. In Antwerp. In Ghent and In every
other large town which conduct a ceaseless
propaganda in favor Of Germany and the Ger.
mana