Evening star., 1919-10-05
BEL LGIAN INDUSTRIAL NEEDS
TO BE TOLD TO CONFERENCE
War-Swept Nation Slowly Recovering
Coal Mines Undamaeed-Railroads Be-
ing Restoration Works Combined.

production Of sulfuric acid IL difficult.
as the Germans removed tho lead from
the chambers; but repairs are under
way, and the plants will soon be In
NMS,rking York s,oS order Potash is already
tories are working. The food indus
tries were. for the most part, spared.
Breweries were seiously handicapped.
as the Germans had stolen all copper
implements. but in frequent cases
In the textile field about 1000. 900
spindles are now in = condition to re-
sumo operations. Raw material and
operation accessories. such as belts.
gables, etc. have been obtained:
them needed only betting ana acces-
sories, which were recuperated from
Germany. Cotton is already spun in
Client, and in some mills material is
already turned out In Verviers. so
weu known for its wool industry.
some materials have already been de-
in full activity. -
Agriculture never suffered during
the war, except in the war zone The
yield OF this years crop will be al
most equal to that Of normal pre-war
years. Lands lying in the war zone and
devastated by shell fire will be taken
over by the government, which will
take over the farms, work them and
finally turn them back to their orig
government will pay owners per
cent interest on the pre-war value Of
the property while working it; it is
also prepared to buy outright, if the
owners wish to SELL
Railroads Being Restored.
Many OF the railways. when the
Germans were forced to retreat, were
destroyed. but rapid progress has
been made IN restoring the roads to
working condition. Germany has re-
placed, to great extent. the rolling
stock which she had taken away, and
practically all the stationary equip
ment has been so far restored as to
provide slow transportation Of freight,
about as in normal times. On the
main lines passenger traffic is already
quite as intensive and as rapid as
before tho war
"On the whole, 1t may be said that
there fs striking evidence that Bel
gian industrial life in general is
steadily and surely resuming a more
normal appearance. The conflicts be-
after such crisis as the war-were
generally smoothly settled. the manu-
facturers realizing that increased
cost OF living justified increases of
salary.
"On the average. these were dou-
bled. and the working classes. in turn,
realtzing the precarious state Of the
country. did not allow them to push
the claims to the extreme limit. In
many essential lines the managing
organizations were preserved and new
ones effected with q view to hasten
ing the progress Of rehabilitation
after the liberation of the country.
ii - "A ~.
invading armies overran the country
with q rush that made it impossible
to mobilize q large number Of the
men Of military age. In consequence
Belgtum's labor has been depleted in
much smaller percentage than that OF
Belgium Has Prior Lien.
Considering now the financial Do
sition, we must not forget, first, that
article 232. paragraph 3, Of the peace
reimburse the whole war costs Of Bel
gfum, from the outbreak of the war
In 1914 to the 11th Of November. 1918.
plus the interest, at the rate Of s per
cent per annum. Second, the allied
and associated powers have remitted
to Belgium the war debt incurred, on
account of the sums. amounting alto
gether to 100000 francs, which
the Belgian government borrowed
from the French, British and Ameri-
can treasures during the war And.
third, the allied and associated pow
ers have similarly agreed that on the
nrst installments of indemnity to be
paid by Germany before the end of
May, 1920. Belgium Is given a prior
lien to the amount Of $500, ,0o0, 900
francs.
Prospects for Belgium arc good.
but she still needs machines and raw
products. Above all, she needs capi-
TAI TO help In her complete recovery.
The loan Of $4,000, ,000. which viii
soon be issued. will undoubtedly be a
great success, as the American invest
ors realize that the country which
bore its trials during the war with SO
much fortitude has started with such
q wonderful energy the work of its
reconstruction"