The Washington times., 1912-06-05
BELGIUM WILL USE
STRONG MEASURES
AGAINST RIOTERS
Socialists to Be Treated as
Plotters for Governments
Downfall.

BRUSSELS, June 6.-At an extraordi-
nary session of the Belgian cabinet.
held today, 1t was decided to take the
sternest measures against the Socialists
who have precipitated rioting because
the clerical party won in the recent
general elections.
Rioters will virtually be treated as
plotters against the stability Of the
government Baron Debrouqueville.
premier OF Belgium. presided at the
meeting at which a message from King
Albert was delivered
Following the meeting the premier Is
sued a statement in which he said that
the government is we'll able to handle
the situation, having been warned be-
fore hand that an uprising would be
attempted If the clerical party should
carry the election. That. said he. was
the reason why such extensive military
preparations had been made. Orders
for the reservists to rally to the colors
were issued on election day, before any
demonstration had been made. All
added.
Situation Serious.
Despite the assurance of the govern
ment reports from Industrial centers,
| where the greatest trouble is now
threatened. stated that many workmen
| were obeying the call to strike. There
were cases where members of the civic
| guard, the militia of the kingdom re-
| fused to take arms against rioters, but
| they were few and scattered.
| Details received today from Verviers.
where fighting between Socialists and
| gendarmes was il progress all day yes
! terday, indicated that the situation there
is the most serious In the kingdom. 1t
| 1t now learned that at least nifty rioters
were either killed or wounded in street
| fighting. Earlier reports had stated
that only thirty fell. More than a
I dozen gendarmes were shot. AS the
killed and wounded from the field, It
| was impossible to estimate the casual
/ ties with accuracy.
Before the armed police gained the
upper hand at Verviers the Socialists
wrecked large part of the city and
had burned a number of buildings.
A state amounting virtually to- mar
tial law prevails in many quarters
| tically no stores were open in either of
| these cities.
Great excitement prevailed in this
city throughout the night. The police
able to prevent number of tncendartes.
At least fifty attempts were made to fire
public buildings and churches.
Try to Tie Up Port.
Socialist labor leaders tried to tie up
the great port of Antwerp by ordering
a shipping strike, but reports from there
indicated that this attempt would prove
futile. Cooler heads among the Social
ists-chiehy Socialist members of the
chamber of deputies-are alarmed at the
revolutionary aspect of the demonstra-
tions and are counseling peace. Mes
sages were telegraphed to leaders in va
| rious quarters of the kingdom by So
cialist deputies urging the Socialists to
cease their violence and return to their
homes.
I'VE will get universal suffrage more
quickly by peace than by war" was the
| tenor of all these pacific messages.
| Thousands of women are up In arms
In the anti-clerical movement. Reports
from scenes of disorder says that many
women have been killed and wounded In
fighting. They have shown a fighting
spirit even more frenzied than the men
| At Cormu band of women wrecked a
| Catholic club. At La LOuviere in the
| seat of the Belgian coal fields, women
led In wrecking property.
One of the chief issues at stake is the
demand of the Socialists and trades
unionists that the plural franchise be
abolished. This gives an educated and
wealthy man three votes, whereas a
citizen too poor to own property has
only one vote.