The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-11-24

lnasmuch as Belgian steel aud iron
manufactures and other allied iron and
steel products comprised over II per
lceut. OF the total pre-war export trade
LOT Belgium, It IS necessary for these
industries TO resume operations as soon
las possible. Furthermore. as textile and
other manufacturing plants have been
isripped OF machinery it Will be ncces-
sary tor new machines to be installed.
iand II Is desirable that the Belgian steel
WORKS should assist as much as possible
n renting these plants Although the
belgian Steel companies we're in a VERY
oao way. dur to the destruction of most
OF their property, several mills could
operate a. the time OF the Arrnistiee.
and others have since been put IN or
der. Some 10 or II Of the lzrres, sterI
companies n Belgium have undertaken
the formation Of a large steel coroors
ton similar in plan to the United States
Steel Corporation Each OF the plants.
1T IS understood, will specialize in some
particular branch of the steel indlrstrs-
German prisoners have been used TO
advantage N clearing away the debris
ot ruined buildings ard in other work.
Many carloads Of machinery and Ak
lures taken away BY the Germans have
been returned and set in operation. Re
employment OF the workers az high
wages has resulted in the withdrawal Of
public aid from nearly all Of the 10000
persons who were being assisted in
November 1918 Official reports ind
cate that the weld of this years crops
will not be much below that of normal
pre-war years
In the Belgian Congo there is an as
set which will prove Of incressiu0 i'm
VH~ Z
belgiums industries In area the colony
IS eighty times as large as Belgium Il
self Although situated ia equatorial
Africa, Its climate is on the whole.
much more saiubrious than that of most
tropical countries. because the greater
part of the country is a comparatively
high Plateau
Among the surest evidences of v1se
preparation for the future development
of the Congo is the official reCogniuon
of the fact that the foundation OF
stable economic life and of enduring
general prosperity there, must be found
in agriculture In 1910 the Government
began a comprehensive program of az
ricultural education and experiments
ton. Quite naturally, the developnent
OF the transportation system OF the col
ony began with the utilization of the
Congo RIVER ana It's tr1outafie3, the
worlds second largest river system. with
about 10000 miles of navigable water
In Janusry, 1916 there were l,l65 miles
Of Congo railways in operation. I'm
portant additions to this mileage have
since been made.
The vast mineral wealth of the Congo
includes copper. tin. gold, diamonds
iron, ard coal. The chief mining in
terests are the copper properties in IA
tanga, the southeastern section Of the
colony. Only small proportion of the
total deposits are being worked, but the
estimated output in 1913 was 10000 tens
The colony's exports and imports IN
1913 had a value of approximately $2s.-
100000, and in 1916 the foreign trade
exceeded S3o,ooo,o00
The depletion Of man-power IN Bel
gium during the war was not as grea'
proportionately as was experienced b.
most of the beliigercnt nations. FOR the
sudden rush Of the Invasion made L
impossible to mobilize a large nurbeT
Of the men OF military age
The proved industrial capacity ard de
pendable character of the masses OF the
Belgian workers are the nations hes
assets IN the present emergency. The
record Of the nations achievements II
the past and its quiet and oorhden
graphing with present difficulties arr
the surest guarantees that the Belgians
can and will solve their economic Prob
e-t+<F--fo~fi,-