The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-12-04
BELGIUM IS
STRUGGLING
TO IT'S FEET

united IfebS-J
Brussels, Belgium, Nov. 10.-BJ
mail.-ln virtue Of number Of de-
crees issued since the armistice,
the Belgium government has steadily
continued the undertaking 1t gave
month prior to the arinistice, to
make good war damage suffered by
its peoples. One Of the most inter
esting cateeories in this connection
are the little men" those whose
loss is covered by q payment Of some
ten thousand francs, at par $1,000.
Ten thousand Of these have received
sums totalling 80 million francs The
compensation is mainly used for re-
pairs to houses and contents.
Throughout the country there are
societies of war claimants for com
pensation and these, operating in
conjunction with the government
delegates, carry out the formalities
Of fling claims. On satisfactory evil
dence, the government makes an adj
vance Of seventy per cent Of the
1914 value Of the destroyed property,
plus a sum for reinvestment which
is calculated on a basis of ~ per
cent in the whole of the country ex-
cept West Flanders (the most de-
vastated province) where the ad-
vance is per cent Advances
under these heads total 8 million
francs and $500 houses are thus
being either repuilt or repaired.
Claims under $1,000 are settled by
money payment; over that sum the
government places in the hands of
he above mentioned society or fed
Grafton securities on which the so
ciety or federation makes advances
to the interested parties
All OF these operations refer to
private property With regard to
claims made by manufacturers hold
ing war vouchers for property seized
by the Germans during the occu-
patton, over two thousand claims
ave been filed and in satisfaction
of these the government has advane-
ed on the secuity of the war vouch-
ers over 256 million francs.
Big concerns Of recognized public
utility, such as, for example, the
National Road Car Company, the
water and dock companies, etc, have
received advances Of some $50 mil
lion francs.
Under all heads Of war damage to
persons and property the total of
claims lodged is wen over 1,250,000
The largest number come from the
Courtrai centre of fighting region)
where nearly a quarter Of million
claims were filed. To August 81,
1920, the total number of claims
settled by all authorities and for all
purposes was 74,714, representing a
total amount of l S9S million francs
In West Flanders alone, 3S,7OO,
houses we're destroyed and 5000
damaged so as to be uninhabitable.
resi- OF the country the re
spectiye figures were $4,000 and
$500. Some $4,000 acres of land
al also been rendered unworkable
Churches town halls, schools. public
ices, and other national buildings
were down or damaged all over the
country. The government plan in
the restoration has been to help
those that help themselves, by grant
ing special financial help, and max
ing good any local deficit.
Before a single brick could be laid
much preliminary work had to be
done, this including restoration of
communications, restarting of the
water service, supply Of temporary
housing accommodation, clearing
away of ruins, and preparing of
ruined land for agriculture. To date
two-thirds of the agricultural lands
destroyed have been res,orsd. Con
currently with the execution of the
preliminary works, thousands of the
houses and huts are being built, or
have already been built.