Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-21

such importation and expectation as
had not been rendered impossible by
the British blockade. He also urged
the Belgian municipalities to undertake
emergency works of public utility. IN
so far as this could be done without
, overburdening the municipal finances.
The ever-growing dimensions whlcn
relief for the unemployed was assum-
ing was of constant concern to MIN.
for he had long since recognized that
this dependence upon charity was
bound to encourage 1aziness ana IN
crease the number of unemployed
Consequently he took occasion again
and again to remind the authorizes
subordinate to him to take care that
the aid granted to the unemployed dld
not initiate against the resumption OF
work. and he also urged the heads OF
the relief committees to bear this in
mind.
by means of all these measures the
evil could be restricted, but II coulo
not be eliminated. for the deeper-lying
cause of it the British blockade. was
making itself felt more and more as
time went on. Hence the governor
general was obliged in the preceding
year to resort to more eHectiVe nnea in,,
in order to check the idleness when
was increasing among the populatlon-
At the initiative of clear-slgnted Del
gians and with the cooperation OF tue
competent Belgian ministry. ne issueu
IL,
idleness, which was supplemented ana
made more rigorous in March, 1916.
Purpose of the Ordinances.
These ordinances provided for the
compulsory removal of workers to
places of work only in those cases in
which the unemployed person refuses.
without satisfactory reason. to per-
-: he 10 can a
for which he is offered adequate re-
enumeration: every reason for refusal
based on the international law is re-
garded as satisfactory. laborer can
not. therefore, be forced to participate
i'm work of military character. The
ordinances are directed in the first
place against certain organized innu-
ences that are trying to keep the laoor-
ers from voluntarily accepting remu-
neratve work for no other reason
than it is offered by the Germans. The
ordinances are based on the sound leg
fslative consideration that the liberty
of the individual should be restricted
in the interest of the common veal.
.Now that the evils which gave rise
TO these ordinances have developed alb
solute!y intolerable conditions, the or
dinances have to be carried into erect
on a larger scale than heretofore. Be
fore they are applied the unemployed
are given opportunity to enter OF their
own will into remunerative labor con-
tracts and coercive measures are re-
sorted to only in cases OF obstinate re =
fusal. which in most instances are FOUND
to be the result of instigation. The I'M
emnloved who are sent to Germany are
placed there on the same footing with
the German laborers and are receiving
higher wages than were ever gwen IN
Belgium Provision has been made that
a mart of these wages be turned over
to the relatives who have remained at
home The laborerS are also permitted
to correspond with their famliles, ana
they are granted home leave at regular
intervals. On request, they may even
take their families with them TO Ger
many Religious services are provided
in their native tongue
MANY Work Voluntarily.
"The great advantages which accrue
TO the Belgian laborers from the OPP
portunity to work thus granted them,
in contrast to their previous lamenta-
BILE condition. are SO obvious that for
a long time past thousands of shem
have voluntarily made use of the offer
and have found profitable work in Ger
manv. Happy to have escaped the
misery resulting from the many months
of unemployment and the humiliation
of public support, they have been able
20 regain their physical and moral
strength through their return to their
normal occupation. They are enabled
to better their economic condition and
provide for their families by the labor
of their own hands, and once more to
lay by savings for the future. Their
Temporary transportation to another
country does not frighten them; Bel
gian laborers are accustomed to travel
from place to place. and in time OF
peace they were wont to hire them
selves out, frequently for many months.
to employers in the southern Industrial
districts of their country or in those
of northern France. for far smaller
increase in wage than is offered them
today"