The Irish standard., 1917-02-10

a formal protest. 1t seems, therefore,
necessary to prevent one-sided judy
ment on this question from being
formed, to elucidate the causes and
effects of the measures to which ex-
ception is being taken.
Those who are far removed from
the war theaters and can, therefore,
form only a superficial opinion Of the
conditions obtaining in the occupied
territories in the west may not, per-
haps, readily understand that the
measures which have been adopted are
not only in no wise detrimental to the
population from an economic point Of
view, but that they have become, as
it were, social necessity in view of
the peculiar conditions which prevail
there. Those who wish to compre-
bend these facts will first of all have
to gain a clear conception of the ex-
tent Of unemployment in Belgium and
it's consequences.
"The principal cause for the unem-
ployment is to be found in the ruth
less application of the British blockade
even as against Belgium. Belgian in
dustries are dependent on the impor-
tation of raw materials and the expor-
tation of manufactured goods to such
an extent that almost complete throt-
thing of Belgium's foreign trade by
England was bound to lead automati.
cally to the closing down of by far
the greatest part of the Belgian fac.
tories. This is especially true of the
important iron and steel industry, the
textile and clothing industries, the
ceramic and the glass industries,
which altogether employ over half a
million workmen in time of peace. It
is also true of the leather, tobacco,
paper and chemical industries. The
fishing industry also had ceased COM
pletely as a result Of the blockade. A
number of other enterprises had to
close down because the materials EN-
ployed as we'll as their transportation
had become so expensive that they
were working at loss; this happened
| for example in the building industry
! (Which in time of peace employs 95,
900 workers), and in the wood and
furniture industry (Which normally
employs $4,000 workers). That the
important mining industry is still able
to employ nine-tenths Of it's $4,000
workers is due solely to the extensive
coal exports to Germany, similarly the
quarries employ one-third of their
former working forces of $4,000, chiefly
in order to fill German ORDERS"
In no instance, continues the note,
have any acts been done by the Ger.
man military authorities such as have
been charged against them by the
press of the Allies. Charges are then
recounted and specifically denied. In
cases where injustice or injury was
discovered the imperial government
has already caused amends to be
made. The completeness of the Ger.
man note to the Holy See on this sub.
ject has given qualification in circles
here.
A Noted Convert.
William Busch, of Pittsburgh, Pa.
who has been prominent resident of
Milan, Italy, since the year 1908, has
been received into the Catholic
church.
The health of Archbishop Kennedy,
rector of the Irish College here, has
greatly improved of late to the great
qualification of his countless friends.
Further reports have reached the
Propaganda concerning the sufferings
of Christians in Syria and Palestine,
especially in the Lebanon district.
Thousands are said to be dying from
sheer starvation, and many people are
being put to death for political Of
fences. Pope Benedict has again ap.
pealed to the Sultan through the
Apostolic Delegate at Constantinople.
1t is announced that Governor Djamil
Pasha has been called back to Con-
stantinople to give explanations of this
sad condition of affairs.