Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-12
FLEMISH PROBLEM
SURE To FIGURE
IN NEG0T|A IONS
Determination Of Status of
Belgium When Peace Par
legs Begin Expected TO Bring
on Serious Complications,
(As.oclatrd Pros. Corre.pondeneol

AhhNofhtrN ross t0fffhphnufntesl
The Hague. Netherlands. March 10.
The Flemish question. IN the new
form II has assumed during the war,
IL one Of the problems that is expect
ed to figure seriously whenever peace
negotiations come 10 the determine
ton Of the status OF lieiEium. There
~ already la existence one Flemish
movement, with It's own press organ
the Nlaamsche Post Otlemsh posD,
whose motto is an entirely separate
Flemish kingdom comprising not
only the Flemish part of Belgium but
also the original Flemish provinces IN
northern France.
Tho larger half nf The population Of
Belgium is of Flemish race. speaking
various Dutch or Nethcrlandish dia-
lccts known collectively under that
term The last census, in 1910 show
cd that of the 1i28.000 inhabitants
or the cuunry 8.g20.000 spoke only
this Flemish or Nctherlandish Lam
gGaee ana 2s6n0 600 only French
The difference IN the numbers Of
those who spike mostly French was
some f0U.6Ou ia fayar of the formor
rutbcr, the five Flemish pro, inoes
can hoast Of 4,7f6.0O0 inhabitants.
whereas the four Walloun OF French
speaking provinces. including Luxem-
bnurg, have only 2,73a.000. showing
thus a difference Of 1000 coo in favor
of the Flemish As regards increase
Of population tho the inter have The |
advantage. the increase IN the Flem- /
lsh provinces la a recent year amount |
ing to 5s,3a9 as against only G.GaG |
recorded for the Waloon provinces |
such big cities as Antwerp Client. I
Bruges- Malines ana BRUSSELS fail /
within Flemish Belgium, and If these
only brussels has lost part Of It's
Flemish character, though more than
half Of it's 100000 inhabitants still /
speak no other language.
Movement Dates From 1870
To 10 1880, the year when Belgium
obtained ms separation from holland,
The Flemish or Netherlands language
of cuursc held It's own. out the sep
hfaton gave the chief political nflu
cnco into the hands Of the French
speaking part Of the population and
the Flemish movement really dates
from that time While the constitu-
ton recognizes both French and
Flemish ~ official languages. and
while tho latter is admitted Ia the law
courts and reigns supreme Ia tho ole
mentaA schools in northern belgium
being also the medium for about half
the lessons at the state secondary
schools there. a good deal of the lam
gunges rights cNist on paper only
For the bureaucracy is Frenrh-spc
ing Ofranskhiunsl, the middle class
largely 30. ana Flemish Is practically
excluded from science and an higher
education which is a serious handi-
cap for lhe Flemish people ana helps
20 prevent them from keeping abreast
of the times Ia tho matter OF lInowl
edge ana education only AT two of
tho four universities is "a very limit
cd numher ~ lectures delivered IN
Flemish so that university education
In their own tongue hes long been one
of the guiding aims OF the movement
uudor consideration. ana the question I
Of "a Flemish university ut Client has |
been revived with fresh Ngor in the I
last Few months
l'ut now the war has given quite
new turn and aspect tn the movement i
Tho immediate effect of the German \
invasion was that the Flemish people n
turned toward France abhorrmg the t
Invaders Since then. however. three \
Flemish groups have gradually be- c
come dislinguishahle An three ~ G
these groups agree In the resolve that i,
pence mus az least bring for Flanders
ldeauato satisfaction Of her just ma {
Iional demands. The unity stops here. b
however for opinions differ widely as f
10 the road 60 attain this end a
Views sharply Opposed "
The tWo views most sharply oppos- 4
81 to one another are represented hy Il
The respective Journals Vry Belgie s
Free Relgium), recently started m 4
his city, and che Nlaamschc Post II
Flemish POST. of Client, already a
mentioned. The first group ridicul- Il
~ as the qulvtisis. or do moth Il
nsa desire az an oosts % maintain {,
Dc national political truce. and a. 8
'epose complete confidence I'm their g
government Ii Is uuthlnkable. They
'rgue that belgium. which is ont,
lighting Tor the rights of the small
ieoples should not recognize the
ighis " the Flemish people within
Is own borders. the more So as they y
The grent majority In the :
fmy still va lne field. Bat The other II