El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-10
Belgium, Hard Hit, By War Promises
Quick Recovery BoLsheDisn1 Finds
Poor Soil For Agitating It's Program

7
A TLANTIC CITY. y. J.. July iO.-Bel-
n GUM promises to be the first
Phoenix among nations to rise trium-
plant from the ashes OF war. With
every acre Of her farm land planted,
with preferential indemnity that will
give her payment from Germany
! ahead OF other nations, with a body
polite unaffected by the destructive
influence Of Bolshevism, she is today
on her toes ready for a sprint into
Elysian fields OF prosperity.
This Interpretation Of actual condi-
tons in Belgium today is given by
DR.. Jules Duesbers. OF Leige, who ar
tended the recent Medical Convention
here as a delegate from the Belgian
government DR.. Duesberg with his
wife and four children escaped from
Beuum in the spring Of 1915. They
came 10 this country and he was at
tached TO the Johns Hopkins Univer-
sltys OF Baltimore. until the close OF
the war permitted his return to his
home
From his stay in Belgium since the
signing OF the armistice. ron his
conversations with redfscovered
friends who lived through the years
OF German bondage. and from his OBJ
".
puesberg has pieced out an authentic
narration Of conditions there.
German Depot Is Months.
In the first place he emphasizes the
terrible destruction vented on Bel
GUM and Prussian militarism For
-Ifty months the entire country was a
German depot--a depot where every
thing was subordinate TO the efficient
operation OF the German military ma
chine Railroads were torn I'D. homes
aa
tary purposes, = industries wrecked
factories RACED and families sepa-
rated. The details Of many atrocities
are of course well known They must
ground for unfortunate Belgium as
she is today.
The first result of this condition.
Dr. Duesberg says, IS universal TN
employment OF her normal indus
trial lie hardly anything IS function
ing except the few coal mines which
escaped the weight Of German de-
strucuon. Hundreds Of thousands Of
men and women are out Of work, with
small prospect Of finding Il for many
months To all Of these the Belgian
government pays regular unem
ployment wage The drain Of this
expenditure on a public treasury
which has collected no taxes for over
five years, and which faces a condi- ,
ton where there is virtually nothing
TO tax. is apparent
So far there is little labor unrest
in Belgium and as long as the unem-
ployment grants continue Bolsheyism
is not regarded as q meance. The
y orkers. too. seem to realize mat The
government is doing everything in its
power 10 get back to normal and that
no change in government could in
itself have any effect toward better I
ing the situation
Soil Intensely Cultivated.
In agriculture the situation is bet ]
ter Belgium's soil has always been
cultivated 10 an extent which would
be thought impossible by most Amer I
lean farmers The war succeeded in !
increasing the intensity OF soil cult /
walton Not only did the Germans de- I
mand food from the subjected nation !
but the Belgians themselves, in order |
TO live at al. were forced 10 produce
can Commission for Relief in Bel !
GUM was only able to supply about l
three-fifths of the minimum quantity !
OF food necessary for existence. The !
Belgians faced the alternative Of
meeting this deficit themselves or
eeasing TO be a race. As a result OF
their effort Dr.. Duesberg states that I
there is now scarcely an acre OF va I
cant land in Belgium which is not /
planted with some form OF substan-
In one respect the Beigians' posi- (
ton Is really superior to that OF many 4
former belligerents- The allied gov /
ernments. anxious to remove as much I
OF the burden as possible from the /
shoulders Of the little state, have /
written off the great majority OF her
debts 10 them for munitions, equip (
ment and war financing. The people
are not faced with the staggering
debt which Is the outstanding feature /
in so many countries. The financial l
situation IS, however. complicated by I
the presence. IN the country OF mil /
lions OF dollars Of worthless German 4
paper. with which those unWe1come !
guests paid for the many articles /
which they took forcibiy from the ma
tive tradesmen- The Belgian govern
ment. acting with great promptitude I
and foresight has bought almost all I
Of this paper and is holding II as /
part Of the debt which Germany must i
pay n settling her accounts
Belgium Good Customer.
The main problem before Belgium
in the opinion OF her leading business
men is a rapid resumption OF inter
national trade There Is room to
spare for American capital and enter
prise in helping to restore this coun
Try. Belgium has always been a good 4
customer in the International market
and there is little fear that the in
restments so badly needed by this
stricken nation will not develop prof.
D 4