Evening star., 1940-12-29
Belgian Universities
Reopened With Nazi
Officials in Charge
German Commissurs Sit
With Administrators
And Lecture Students

BRUSSELS (via Berlin)
spondence of the Associated Press)
-Belgiunl's universities have re-
opened-but with German commits
sars to see that they do no wrong.
They sit side by side with the
Belgian University heads in admin
ietering affairs of the institutions
and, in addition, lecture to the
students on such subjects as Ger
manistics," "Romsnistics," interna-
tional law and philosophy.
Among the most notable appoint
ments was that of Capt. G.. A. Walz
of the Munich University law fac
ulty, as commissar for Brussels Uni
versiGy. Others were named for
Client, Louvain and Liege Univer-
sites.
The reopening Of Ghent Univer-
sity found DR.. Adrian Martens, who
once was under sentence of death as
a World War traitor, occupying q
PROFESSIONAL chair in the medical
faculty.
The once obscure Flemish sur
geon, who escaped punishment
through a general amnesty, stayed
out of the news for many years after
the World War, but early last yeal
was the center of political contro.
versy which caused the resignation
of the then Premier, Paul Henri
Spaak.
The trouble arose over the ap-
pointment of DR.. Martens to the
Flemish Academy-as a friendly
gesture, Spaak explained, TOWARD
the Flemish people. 1t raised such
a clamor, especially among World
War veterans, that King Leopold
had to intervene.
Later Dr.. Martens was arrested BY
the Belgians as a fifth columnist.
Getting an education is only one
of the problems confronting Bel
gians today During the little king
doms l8-day participation in the
war last spring it was badly bat
tered. 1t will take years to remove
its scars.
A report by the commissary gen.
eral for construction shows that
some 10000 private buildings, 5000
factories. 5000 public buildings and
800 bridges and works of art were
destroyed or damaged.
Here are the figures broken down
Private dwellings, 1882 utterly de-
ctroyed, 24156 seriously damaged
1870 slightly damaged.
Factories: 352 destroyed. 839
'1eavily damaged, 1862 slightly
Camaged.
Public buildings, including
cnurches and town halls: 235 de-
royed. $50 seriously damaged, 1872
lightly damaged.
Also damaged were ,445 works of
art.
Add to all this 669 100000 square
yards of damaged or destroyed pub
lie roads and you have a general
idea of what Belgium went through.
Progress in rehabilitation is indi-
Gated by the fact that railroad
freight service is being restored and
coal is available everywhere. Most
of the countrys rolling stock, which
had been taken to France for safe
keeping. has been returned.
Food Supplies Being Spread.
Belgian food producers and proc
essors have been put under central
control similar to the German sys-
tenn, with view to spreading food
supplies equitably among the people
Tie whole potato crop has been
requisitioned by the newly created
Corporation of Agriculture" to
check profteering.
Late in November the Agriculture
Ministry announced a program for
IS per cent increase in wheat and
potato crops to rescue the country
from prospective shortage.
Political life, at standstill since
the Germans began their invasion
May 10. is showing signs of reviving
The National Legion" political
organization eXpounding an "au-
thoritarian. cooperative state" has
held meetings at which speakers
lauded its advantages.
The ReXist party likewise is be-
coming active again. Leon Degrelle
its leader, who had been deported to
France, returned recently and has
resumed his denunciations of Free
masonry and Jews.