Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-25

sciences may momentarily lose courage.
Had he not been there things would
doubtless not have happened in the
lost one of her noblest pages
Surely, Belgium would have been
faithful to her neutrality; but, un-
like Switzerland. she was not warned,
prepared and guarding her frontier
Belgium was taken breathless. Who
knows what confusion might not have
resulted in people overwhelmed as
we were, what useless discussions
and false maneuvers, what fumbling.
legitimate but irreparable? Above all,
the necessary words. precise, I'M
alterable, would not have been
spoken at the necessary moment.
Thanks to King Albert, the heroic
Belgian line Is as straight, neat and
magnificent as that Of Thermopylae
indefinitely prolonged."
This was said in the worst days Of
1915.
Now it is Belgium's turn to be
paid back.
We know what the peace confer
ence has decided. Will Belgium get
what is coming to her? Can any one
deny the righteousness of King AL
bert's demand that Belg.um's right
to priority in regard to war indem-
mites to be paid by Germany be not
only explicitly recognized. but
promptly executed as a fact?
King Albert flew to the peace coa-
ference.
Delacroix with the figures. Belgium
must receive first payment from Ger
many. in order in some measure TO
meet her great and urgent financial
needs.
Vandervelde has told the situation.
On March 1. 1919, there were 100000
without work in total population
OF 100000 inhabitants-which makes
the number Of those receiving tenn
porary aid 100000 or thereabouts.
In Brussels. which ordinarily oc-
cupies 10000 workmen, only $1,000
have work. At Verviers. where the
textile industry counts $4,000 work.
men. only 700 are occupied. At Ant
werp among 10000 lockers, 1000 are
earning money. Except in the mines.
all the great industries are still shut
down by lack of machinery (the Ger
mans stole iD, working capital (the
Germans looted it,, and. above all.
raw material, which must come from
the outside (the Germans shipped to
Germany vast stores Of Belgian raw
material, which the Germans long
ago made up and hold ready to sell
in competition with Belgium as soon
as permitted). The situation of these
out-of-work Belgians is the more
painful because Of the high cost Of
living in Belgium, where the minimum
salary is $3.50 per day They receive
a daily aid of 20 to 80 cents plus 10
to Is cents per person composing the
family-wife. children.
The total losses of Belgium amount
to $50. 1000. o0O.0 900.
II Belgium can live, the genius OF
the people will do the rest. ;
On April 4, 1919, the 8. s. Greystoke
Castle entered the port Of Client. in
augurating renewed regular service
Of the Castle line between Galveston
and Client. This fine ship, Of 1000
tons. brought 5000 bales Of cotton.
1000 tons Of flour and quantity of
lumber for Antwerp Since then. the
Hornley Castle. S.040 tons. likewise
from Galveston. has entered; and the
Pendragon Castle. 7.240 tons, Is daily
expected at this writing.
Another start.
On April s a magnificent new picto.
rial poster appeared simultaneously
on the billboards OF Paris, London
and the Riviera, bearing these words:
Summer season, 1919. Ostend, queen
of the beaches! Opening. June l."
Belgium has vote to go on.
Plus a hope. expressed by the chief
voter. before voting.
On King Albert's birthday (April
81 President Wilson. then seated at
the peace conference in Paris, sent
him the following telegram:
"Will you accept my warmest felici.
tations on the occasion Of the ami.
versary Of your birth? I join to it my
hope that you may celebrate many
other such anniversaries in the future
which shall soon grow moro and moro