Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-12-07


eiety. Washington. u. CO
No country injured by the World
war set about more earnestly 20
achieve reconstruction than Belgium.
the one which suffered most cruelty
and dramatically from the conflict.
Though the damage done 20 the coun-
try through property destroyed. pill
lace and financial exacfions by the
Germans reached the tremendous sum
Of 30 billions OF francs according 20
the estimate Of the Belgium COmite
Central Indnstriel. the people. with
Characteristic Industry and thrift. took
up the heavy task 81 resuscitatlng their
cOuntry's industrial life as soon as the
armistice had been signed. By the
beginning 81 1870 they had made such
great strides that. with the exception
o. the steel and glass industries. pro-
duction averaged three-quarters or
more Of pre-war production the coal
output had even reached 81 per cent
and the refined sugar output 100 per
cent
But the postwar reaction which
struck the United States and other
countries In 1870 affected Belgium.
too: and since the spring Of that year
Belgium has had its share Of depreS-
sion. closed and part-time factories
and unemployment. The drought
which affected many parts ~ the
northern hemisphere has been felt In
Belgium. with the result that harv-
ests are less and food prices higher.
Where the price index 81 living costs
was 100 I'm 1914 Il was ~ In OctO-
Der. 1870. and had reached only 70
2S4 In August. 1921. But the adverse
economic forces I'm operation since
early in 1890 have caused suffering
even In countries not involved IN the
World war: and TO understand that
Belgium. in spite 81 present trials, Is
IN q fair way TO outstrip the other
v-ar-torn countries Ga the return 10
normal. Il l. only necessary 90 consid-
er conditions In the little kinsxom be
fore the war broke In upon IL.
IT'S Population Is Dense.
The Belgium 81 today has an area
less than one-fourth a. great as Mis-
sissiupI. and yet 10 has four times
the population ~ that state. Twenty
two and a half countries Ike Bel
rium would be required TO make
state Ike Texas. and II Texas were
as densely populated as Belgium II
would have as rhany people as the
United states and Germany together
now possess. IL the entire Onitea
States had as many people 10 the
Souare mile as Belgium-that is. con
,lnental United States. exclusive OF
Alaska-we would have more people
here than there are In the entire woriu
TO-DAY. You could concentrate all the
,.a,,nla OF the seven seas and OF an
the continents here and still have room
Cor enough more 20 repopulate the
continent ~ Europe as IL now STANDS
II must follow from this that such
n vast population. living within such
narrow confines $4,000 souls WIN
I'm an area OF 1873 square miles
must be a frugal people. accustomed
70 self-denial. skilled In the arr u
economical living. and masters OF ,iie
s.,anre OF intensive industry; yet with
All this density 10 population, Win
al ,ha exactions Of forced economy,
they are a people who had so ordered
,hei- relations with one another ana
With their government that happiness
and contentment seemed 10 owen WIN
them as with but few other peopies'
and this In spite Of diverse descent
and diverse tongues.
Two Distinct Peoples
Vv,,hin Relgium's small territory
...l,or in area than Massachusetts
- Connecticut-there are near!
three million Flemings VINO sahno'
,oIt with their oompatriot Walloohs'
and about as many walloons VINO can
not hold converse with their country
men Flemings. In their habits OF il,luu
IS ,halr methods Of gaining nNe-
,,hoos the two peoples differ as WIDELY
a. the English aud the French. anu
IN their speech they are as uiile''
:. ,ba Germans and the Sandman
ans; and yet there Is Tie tiial il"s
bouna them together for genera1i"Hs'
uirb never a fratricldal war IN their
modern history. That tie Is the oonu
- religim. FOR they all subscribe 70
re aoctrines OF the Church Of Rome
,rv,h ! heartIness thar makes them one
!, the bestowed peoples Of the Holy
See. r,..,,sn and