Evening star., 1919-04-20

But it must wait until the final settle
ment with Germany or delay opera :
tions until credits have been arranged
abroad.
Electrical Plant Robbed.
If the LIE Providence plant were
not sufficient demonstration OF Hun
methods in sitting competitive in
dustries, the greatest electrical plant
in Belgium, which is also located in
Ch. rieroi, is further illustration. The
buildings Of this great works are IN
tact, but more than $6,O00,000 worth
of the fine electrical machinery has
been removed and where once there
was vital pulsing industry within It's
walls there is nothing but the acute
lonesomness of great waste spaces.
That the walls of the factory are
even standing today is story within
itself.
Germany, desiring a metal work
shop for her armies on the western
front, the Huns painted out the
great signs across the race or the
building and placed thereon "Heeres-
werkstatte, West" In the grounds
of this plant were assembled all the
farm machinery piundered from the
agricultural districts of Belgium and
; France that needed repairing. There
still remain engines, plows, mowers
and reapers. Thrashing machines
are numerous, Many OF them pear
familiar American names. These
were sent through various processes
Of repair before being sent on TO
Germany.
Not only this but much of the need
ed steel and metal work required for
the German armies on the western
front was done in this plant after
the Belgian electrictl working ma
chinery had been removed and such
other machinery as was stolen IN
other regions and more suitable 10
German manufacturing needs placed
! within the walls of the plant. Among
these were many file making ma
chimes and they remain, along with
great piles of files which the Ger
mans were not able to get away De-
fore they left.
A storehouse adjunct to the factory re-
| veals the activity of the plant under the
Germans There may be found rolled
| oats machines. harrows. fodder cut
ters, sulphur bath boxes for the cure OF
skin diseases on horses, stoves, boxes ior
the transport of warm food to German
! troops, plowshares, refrigerators and
ty the Huns during their period OF the1r
| occupation.
But this great electrical plant is COM
pletely useless except as the building it.
self may furnish housing room for re-
| constitution processes In this great in
dustrial region.
Ghent Engine Works Ruined.
| The story of CHIP, ,eroi industries is moi
an exception. In Client the great engine
| works there are q complete mass o1
ruin-. Here the Germans broke into bits
all machinery which was not to pc usec
by them and which might be utilized II
the manufacture OF munitions In LongW!
and Haumont, in France; in Denain ant
Douai are other living examples OF Hur
| barbarity and well organized. consistent
| effort to wipe out industrial competition
There was no military necessity for the
processes psed. But this did not lnf1u-
ence the Hun. who was thinking only
of the marks that he might obtain aftel
the war by quick resumption of his in
dustrfai enterprises while the Belgian'
and the French were still struggling
amid the ruins of their once priced anl
busy plants
| have dwelt particularly on the de-
istruction of steel and iron plants II
Belgium and France for the reason
they were the main competitors o1
lG.rmsany Consequently Germany SCI
lin motion an elaborate machine tt
crush them to the dust. Other INDUS
tries have suffered likewise, though
possibly not to such great extent, but
Generally speaking, all manufacture:
lin Belgium and France are for thu
moment helpless. Such plants as haVt
Ito do with the production OF zln'
products, glass, earthenWare' papel
and china are but partially damaged
lRLt even in these the betting, dr1vt
has been removed, and 1T will require
several millions of dollars peror'
these can be revived.
hut it was the steel and electrica
works OF Belgium that made up tht
heart of the general Industrial sys