The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-21
Belgium, Prosperous, Rivals
Old Gay Life Paris knew

demands in patriotic spirit. and nt
IN a manner likely to injure the cu3e1
sumner. The bandits to ernpssyes pfM
very considera Bile. and ! do not tHlMA#
for moment that there Is any rrOSM3
pect of strikes. ss&
production OF the Belgian nlind
is rapidly Improving 1t has n0Ng
reached 50 per cent OF pre- war nMy
ures The coal situation in this d1u0s
try Is Tar better than in any othsS N
in the world"
After | had left NJ vanderyeids IA VI
met AN eminent authority who Askete$'
me what / thought of Brussels todayM
| replied that / had never seen CIV
so prosperous, gay and comfortabi64ss
so abundahtly provided with all ttAsSS
good and pleasant Things Ut life. lkts@s
quite agreed with me. S
SHOULDERS TO wheel sssS
THE Belgians" he said, were A.
first inclined TO- be disappointed ps-N
cause they had not received largdrA
snare OF the indemnity to be Paid ~ N
Germany But now they have recOGf$
MID the just claims of France ana
Britain, and they have set their
. shoulder to the wheel OF reconstruE-
ton with a will and determinations
which might probably serve as AM
example to the workers OF other
nations.
Practically every factor. he told
me. which was in operation beforas
I he war is at work again There ar11Ei
very few unemploy ed and the gem
! eraI prosperity Is as 1t never was be-
! fore,
Paris can no longer rigidly be CALI
| ed a gay city Life in the Faenchs
! capital offers too many checks ~
exuberance of spirit. The lack Of
] ,vxA vSrs
constant irritant. 1t is not an incen 81
tivs to a happy evening to have to-
pay 5 francs for a glass Of beer or 4
wine or a cup of coffee, receiving a.
bundle OF Metro tickets by way UfS
chance 1t is true that articles 0f
I -vSifac of-e frtrfes he boHE4s{{
with a booklet of Metre tickets. butS
! IL it be o. less vaiue than that the
purchaser and vendor are st.l faced
with the difficulty of finding SUBJ
stitute for the monetary differeucea.ss
Physical discomfort in Paris IA
acute from the sho. tage OF COAL In@
the hotels. restaurants and houses .hs
is terribly cold. Here In BRUSSELS 81
an almost superheated, my bedroon1s
is supplied with ts bath and Lava
tory, with hot and cold water. ExcEptl
in the most expensive hotels in Firt9s
the hot water pipe yields water a.
cold. z
J. But here in Brussels the whole city
Is beautifully lighted and warmade2
Coal may he dear, but there Is evf-a
IDENTIFY plenty of it, Instead of FEE
strictlon of street car service, al IN:
Paris, the authorities here would be-
hard put to it to squeeze more cars
between those which already play
follow my leader round the networiss
b., L. ste off la m
stree car system of Brussels.
The cafes are open until 2:31 A. N.
and are crowded to The last mtnutesj
Soirits--except cognac--and liquors.
are forbidden, but all other forms Of
alcoholic refreshment are obtainable-s
Prices are very high, buG even N the
most expensive cafes sthe workman
and his wife--often accompanied, III
is sad to say by very young children
may be seen enjoying themselves nh
to the very last minute before clos-
ing
PLEASURE AND LICENSE &
Brussels, indeed, seems to be try
ing To emulate pre-war Berlin. Wake
up at any hour OF the night and yous
hear the hum OF merry life in the
streets. Citizens are simply wallnw-s
) ing in pleasure: there seems to be nc
limit to expenditure, nor. 1T must hi
: added 70 license. S
| Whence comes the money? From
, trade with Germany undoubtedly.
( In every hotel, in every train. men
: are to be heard talking OF bargainH
; they have secured in the occupied
. regions--bargatns placed Z within
r reach of the low rate of the mark.
1t is worthy OF note that all these
men with whom I have come in cons
tact are keeping keen eye on tho
IL ir 81
opinion that when ratification is CONF
I plete the mark Will rattle up In
value from 100 to the pound, in
: present rate to so at the highest
one man told me that his firm WAS
holding four and- a half million
marks against that day.
Brussels fourisncs while Paris
languishes But an Qnkinder cut AZ
French pride is the increasing favor
: i which the exchange is showing W
: the Belgian franc. French money AZ
: no longer accepted at its face value ira