Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-10
TRUE CONDITIONS
IN BELGIUM TOLD
IN BERLIN PAPER
German People Are Warned
Against Too Optimistic
Views Regarding Political
and Economic Situation

London, April SEA- striking pie
turo OF the condition of affairs IN
Belgium Is given By an article In the
lgafln NOrwaerts, protesting against
too optimistic views in the German
press OF the Belgian political and
economic situation The extracts Of
the article, as published IN London,
are
1.-THE attempt to apply the slogan
Business az usual 20 the present
state of things IN Belgium Is due In
part TO the inability of tho newspapers
10 make the necessary Investigations
there We are told that the boule.
wards OF brussels are crowded and
that great numbers Of people occupy
the chairs IN front of the cafes, there
fore, We dednce that social life Is 500
lng on as usual throughout the coun-
Try.
"Eut we can correct such judy
ment promptly from the figures OF
the public relief Institutions For an
appreciation Of tho rual economic sit
uallon In lrussela aud of the psy-
Geological situation Of the people
there. knowledge of public relief
II more important than the appear.
anoe o. the boulevard,
IL ~ undenlablc thar IN Brussels
the number Of hurghers forced to
fetch their food from one of the relief
eenters Is growing. In september tho
figures were 1862 per cent. on April
they are aS per cent Of the popula-
ton.
Another point Of Importance is the
increasing DEAFNESS ni things.
1t Is an exaggerated view TO take
that normal conditions are returning
to a city whore 2i0,000 people are fed
daily hy charity. For this purpose
ever $4,000 day Is required, and
this does not provide for the distribu-
ton q clothing relief Of unemployed
aud care OF children. Private charity
is almost exhausted. and voluntary
collections produce less and less.
In the Belgian provinces the situ-
alton u about The same The German
authorities are willing to improve
these conditions, but there are many
difficulties Hallway tariffs arc con-
HtantlS altering 80 that business peo-
pie arc unable "a regulate their traf-
Tic IN the light cf kn0wieaae Of the
cost oi Transportation Public tele-
phone communication Is not allowed.
business letters are subject IL delay
aud rigid censorship. Telegrnms fre-
auentlE take three DAYS for delivery
Another difficulty is thu. uacer-
laintN into which industry Is thrown
by The constant rcuuisition OF machin-
cry, iha possibility ST such reuuisi-
ttpnlng hy The military authorities
does not encourage the setting pp OF
new mas hinas ,nr tho maintenance of
old ones The revival Of Belgian in
dastfy % which many Of our newspa-
pRfs speak amounts 20 this A NUM-
Der ~ businesses are working two OF
three days a week
These facts should he 4 warning
against cNasgerated optimism as 20
ameiloration OF affairs Ia Belgium. In
neutral countries such talk can only
have Rn unfortunate effect
The greatest organizing genius
wapld nor be able 10 restore the
crushed industries Of thIs most trou.
hled Of an countries hy a wave OF
the hand, or raise again the courage
e a people, who are As deeply at
tuehcd as Getmans themselves To their
political Independence.