Evening star., 1936-10-25
CONTINUED From First Page.)

be effected without the progress Of the
healing process in the rest of the con-
tinent. Nationalism Is the sickness,
and its symptoms are high tariff, ex-
port and import quotas, contingents,
barter arrangements-in other words,
self-suficiency.
"Yet tie truth of it is that not even
the United States, the Soviet Union
and France are self-contained, al
though they come nearest to 1t. we
shall have got rid of the crisis only
after we have placed the economic
life of our countries on its natural
basis, where goods may be moved from
one country to another without
hindrance. This time will come, and
it will be a turning point in Europe's
malady."
"L'experience Van iceland" Is the
name under which the Belgians know
their premier's program, but his fol-
lowers prefer to call it plan Of ma
tional renovation" Since Belgium Is
smaller than Maryland, and her very
life is dependent upon peace and
free exchange of goods among the
nations of all the world, international
relations and foreign commerce oc-
cupy important places in Van Zee
lands program. Since he realizes that
not even the strongest chain Of fortif1-
cations could save such a small coun-
try from an aggressive Third Reich,
he has concentrated on aligning France
and Great Britain on the side of
Belgium.
Successful in London.
In the pursuit Of this policy he had
to overcome the opposition of many
Flemish-speaking Belgians who fear
France more than Germany, either
because their language and culture
are largely Germanic or because they
have fallen under the influence OF
German Nazi-ism. He also had to
overcome the obstacle of Great Brit
aims traditional refusal to commit
herself in advance to any policy that
may involve war Van Iceland has
succeeded, however, in extracting the
pledge from Downing Street that it
would consider the violation of Bel
gian independence cause of war.
Van iceland is a fervent believer in
European cooperation and is known
to be working on new disarmament
plan. He is also preparing conferences
in the belief that the best way to keep
Europe out of war is to keep the dip
lomats talking.
In foreign trade his program calls
oI>o ST fra do
obstacles, quotas and licenses, the
lowering of customs barriers, the re-
organization of the movements and
transfers of capital and the re-estab-
lishment of an international monetary
standard - which he still believes
should be gold. He realizes that such
reforms may be introduced only on an
international basis. He still adheres to
the principle announced in one of his
lectures before the Page School of
International Relations three years
ago: RE establish the role Of eco
omic morality and perhaps provide
for sanctions to secure respect for it"
The guiding thought of his do
mestic economic program was indl-
Gated in the same lecture:
"Once the principal obstacles have
disappeared, private initiative will be
quite capable of filling the gaps and
taking back its old place Meanwhile
it may be necessary to provide transi-
tional organizations and processes
which will help to get the machinery
again in gear"
The most important features of his
transitional program are: Great pub
lie works to absorb unemployment,
medium term credits to stimulate
business, the policy of cheap money,
state supervision of private banks
and state assistance in arranging bank
guarantees. He devalued the Belgian
currency, he said, not because of It's
weakness but because Of the increase
in the value of gold. He had some
government bonds converted with the
compulsory participation Of the banks.
Provided Minimum Pay.
He settled the numerous strikes
that broke out in June by providing
for minimum wages, paid vacations
and government guarantee of the lib
erty of action of trade unions. In
political matters his program is
summed up in one word: "Democ-
racy." He has indicated, however,
that he would welcome some effective
means by which parliamentary work
may be accelerated. especially in re-
gard to the budget.
Paul van Iceland comes Of an old
Dutch family of burghers which was
prominent in the affairs of the Meth
erlands even before the Duke of Alva
sought to pacify that country through
his Council of Troubles" better
known as the Council of Blood"
One of his ancestors, Arnold van Zee
land, made his name four centuries
ago as an able envoy of the Utrecht
Principally. Two centuries later the
family followed the urge of the soil
and moved into the French-speaking
part of what is today the Kingdom of
Belgium. There they have been part
Of the landed nobility, prominent in
church and army.
The seventh of eight children, Paul
was born in Soigniee, famous for the
forest immortalized in Byron's "Childe
Harold" Napoleon took the oak for
his fleet, with which he hoped to in
wade England, from these woods. He
had his secondary education at the
local college," st. Vincent, attached
to the towns beautiful twelfth CEN
tury abbey church. His teachers gave.
him an excellent classical education,
which enables him even now to make
0rra einpo1 Nuns in Grook and latin
After 18 hours work at his desk he