The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-05-03
BELGIAN STRIKE
 BRINGS TWO MEN
 INTO PROMINENCE
Socialist Leaders Are Striking Contrasts in Personality
 Their Life Stories

Brussels, May 3.-Two men have | come to the forefront of public at tention a result of the recent po- I litIcal strike fn Belgium. each adding to his popularity and his record as a | successful Socialist leader. They are men of widely divergent characUeris- ! tics, Emile Vandervelde, the gifted and brilliant intellectual and Eduard Ansee1e, the youthful enthusiast and each in his particular field contribut- ed materially to the measurable pro- gress made in the past month toward manhood suffrage in Belgium.
 VanderVelde, who has led the So- cialists of this country since the death of Jean Vo1ders, is approaching his fftieth birthday. Tn his youth he studied law, but his interest in social questions prevented his practicing. He is possessed of high literary gifts, a wide knowledge, and is an able states man. Of markedly pale complexion, slightly aquiline nose, and peneIrat- ing eyes. VanderVe1de's face once seen is rarely forgotten. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1894, and rapidly distinguished himself by his eloquence and intelIec- tua1 superiority. As a speaker he is remarkable for his distinct utter ance. the preciseness and cIearness of his thought and the logic of his req soning. He is a magnificent debater, never losing his temper, and keeping his head in the most difficult situa- tions
 VanderveIde's reasons for belonging to the Socialist party are rather those of the head than the heart. His con victions are purely intellectual He is, and always has been, determined opponent of the recent general strike, which he believes will only delay the triumph of the cause of Socialism. But the majority of the party having pronounced in favor of the strike, Vandervelde bowed to the decision and co-operated in the common work to the best of his ability.
 The other Socialist leader, Eduard Ansee1e, founder of the ''Vooruits'' of Ghent, presents a striking contrast in every way to Vandervelde. Of open and engaging countenance, possessed of a warm and vibrant voice, Anseele charms all who come in contact with him. He is an excellent speaker, us ing a wealth of imaginary to convey his meaning, which he further enfor- ces with vigorous gestures. Possessing no personal means he lives on his dep uty's salary of $500 year and in come of $416, which he gets as a, di- rector of the tsVooruit-" He con tributes nearly half this small revenue to the Socialist cause.
 Unlike Vandervelde, Anseele is a working man and the son of a work Ing man. lie has known the WOrIQ'S rough hand. His father was a shoe maker, but wanting earnestly to give his son some education, he labored with extreme self-renunciation to this end. Young Anseele was employed in turn by an architect, a seedsman and a cloth merchant. One evening he entered a, Socialist meeting and was so profoundly impressed by the picture of the misery of the people drawn by the speaker, that he at once enrolled himself in the ranks of the international" The next day. hay ing conf1ded his new political views to his employer, he was summarily dismissed. Not daring to show him self to his father, he ran away to Antwerp, whence he worked his way to London. During six months he wandered about the British capital of ten sleeping under the bridges. He tried to enlist, but was rejected on account of his lack of inches
 Eventually the young man return ed to Ghent, where he became a, print CT. In association with others he organized a cooperative bakery. This was the beginning of the 'tVooruit,' 9 now famous throughout Belgium. Vooruit is a Flemish word meaning forward" and 1t has become the raIlying cry of the Socialists of Ghent The organization, which at the end of its first year counted only 500 mem bers, now has over 10000, and it owns warehouses and other buildings vaIu- ed at nearly $100,0O0.
 It Pays to Trade