The San Francisco call., 1909-01-03
ISeeciaI CabIe 10 The CaIIl

YORK jan -.--I.luS ~ las 81
ways been an enthusiast on social aues-
tions Before he was raised TO the
papal throne his interest in such mat
ters gained him the love and esteem OF
his people. He played large part in
the institution of the cooperative soci-
eties, rural banks and beneficial associ-
ations which have done so much to bet
ter the condition OF the peasantry IN
the north OF Italy.
But We may turn TO Belgium for a
practical illustration of socialism as
understood and praeticed by Catholics;
a socialism based on the fatherhood or
God and brotherhood of man, rather
than on materialistic and anarchistic
principles
For more than 20 years Catholics
have had the administration OF national
affairs in Belgium; in fact, Belgium Is
the only country in Europe with a dis
tinctively and professedly Catholic
government And nowhere else have
the social teachings of Leo XIII been SO
cordially welcomed or so successfully
applied
Belgium is one of the most densely
peopled countries in the world, with its
622 Inhabitants to the square mile.
During 20 years, although the popula-
ton had not quite doubled, the volume
OF trade had increased % fold. tfter
the United States and Germany, Bel
gium is Great Britains most serious
competitor in the worlds markets. 1t
is said that her wonderful industrial
development would have been impos-
sible without her extensive coal helds,
that give employment to more than
1920 workmen.
Perhaps in no other country has the
feature Of our modern economic condi-
tions been so notably exemplified as in
Belgium. The country is covered with
a network of railways. over which, 1t is
claimed, nearly 100000 trains, laden
with passengers and merchandise,
passed in 1906 This was within an
area of about one-third that of Ireland
The main systems and their connections
are fed by no fewer than 145 lines of
light railways as feeders, seven of
which, or IS miles, are worked by cleo
tricity. Nowhere is railway travelling
so cheap as in Belgium. Nearly the
whole OF the ordinary or broad gauge
system is the property of, or worked
by, the state.
A not inconsiderable service is rem
dered to the national commerce by the
Belgian waterways. There are 1.3T5
miles OF canals and navigable rivers,
with fine seaports at Antwerp, Ghent
and Bruges.
In Belgium are four universities, of
which Client and Liege are state insti-
tutions. while Brussels and Louvain are
entirely independent of government
control. In 1904 there existed
throughout the country 2S0 institutions
in which a strictly commercial, profes-
sionaI or technical training was i'm
parted TO about $4,000 students, OF
whom $3.50 were girls. House keeping
schools numbered 81. and special classes
for cookery, domestic training, etc, 19S,
with a yearly attendance of nearly TO-
600 girls and young women. This is ex-
elusive of many other similar schools
connected with converts and receiving
no share of the public funds.
Agricultural instruction has been
widely diffused and methods of culture
are being constantly improved, as well
by the cotter class as by the holders
Of large farms
In a few countries is the national
wealth more widely distributed. There
exists neither the millionaire class of
citizen nor the extreme poverty found
in large cities in England and Ameri-
ca. No acute agrarian problem awaits
solution. There is no ''unemployed
problem to vex philanthropists and en-
danger the government. A government
savings bank, established in 1865, holds
deposits more than seven times larger
than its originator anticipated. In
1904 these deposits, totaling $152,S15,-
00O, were distributed among 2,203, 600
depositors. This means a postoffice
bank account for about every third per-
son of the entire population; and 81
per cent of the pass books indicate a
credit OF less than 500.
This bank was empowered to ad-
vance loans at the rate of 215 per cent
to associations formed for building or
purchasing homes for workingmen. De-
cember 81, 1905. there were 196 socie-
ties, scattered throughout the various
provinces, engaged in this work, and
the loans made for this purpose ranged
close to SIS, 900 900. The dwellings thus
erected are models of their kind and
are either rented or sold on easy terms
to working class families. Deeds and
other formalities are free of charge
Sixteen years of operation of this
scheme have placed over 100000 work
men on the way to the ownership OF
their own homes; and it is epected to
increase this number to fully $4,000.
In the past 20 years the condi-
tion of the working class has been
greatly ameliorated, wages increased
their scale of living raised their dwell
ings improved, and provision made
against sickness and old age. The gov
ernment has a system of old age pen
sions.
Finally, it is claimed that employ
ment is abundant, the cost of living
compa ratively low, rent and taxes as 9
rule extremely moderate. and wages
except for agricultural laborers. dou-
Bile what they were so years ago.
The hymn "Adeste Fideles" is as.
cribed to a celebrated composer, George
Frederick Haendel. German by birth
but who passed the most brilliant and
fruitful portion of his career in Eng
land, where he died in 1853, at the age
of 76 years.
But there is a seeming contradiction
in the fact that this hymn is alsC
spoken OF as a Portuguese Christina.
carol. Before the act of emancipation
exiled priests sojourning in England
had at their disposal, for the exercis'
Of religious worship, only the chapel.
-. l.....lu-.. .i.,.,..