Evening star., 1950-08-20
Belgian Reds Demand
Vengeance for Party
Chiefs Assassination
By the Assoeiofad Pfess

~ NV TssS~'oiSo tISSS
LIEGE, Belgium, Aug. 19.-Bel-
GUMS Communist Party blamed
pro-Leopoldists tonight for the
assassination of the party presi-
dent. Julien Lahaut, and issued an
angry call for vengeance.
A party manifesto urged all the
country's workers to "get together
to disarm the murderers and stop
Fascism." 1t demanded mass dem
onstrations throughout this nerve
wracked country, which has just
weathered a violent crisis. The
division of the nation with the
return of King Leopold III to the
throne almost started a civil war.
The 66-year-old Communist
Party chief was shot down last
night at the doorstep of his sub
urban home. His wife said the
aSSaSsins were two young men,
one of whom fired two bullets into
Lahaut's head and one into his
body.
The attack was made only a
few hours after Belgium's parlia-
ment completed approval of the
first government to serve under
Crown Prince Baudouin, to whom
Leopold delegates the royal pow
ers in order to stop civil strife.
The new premier, Joseph Pholien,
quickly addressed a radio message
to the nation deploring the killing.
Called Odious Crime.
THE government stigmatizes
this odious crime, which has so
terribly upset all good citizens"
said the premier, head of the ALL
Social Christian (Catholic) party
cabinet which supports the roy
alistS.
IN. Julien Lahaut defended
energetically and courageously a
theory that the majority of Bel
gianS rejects" he added. I'm a
democratic country like ours. all
opinions have the right to show
themselves so long as they respect
the laws the nation has given
ITSELF"
But the Communists already
were in action. They called a
mourning" strike in the Liege
metal works plants in the Seraing
suburb. and some sources said
the strike might continue until
Lahaut's burial Tuesday. Lahaut,
silver r-haired and jovial, enjoyed
some popularity outside Com
munist ranks.
The Belgian party, according to
semioflcial figures, is not numeri-
cally strong. There are only about
$4,000 party members in a total
population of 8.5 million. But
party sympathizers are estimated
at 175.000. Lahaut was one of
seven Communist members in the
lower house of Parliament. The
Communists have three senators.
Was Not Real Boss.
Officially Lahaut was head of
the party; but the real-boss is said
to be bald-headed Edgard Lal-
mand, former Antwerp grain
dealer who is the party's general
secretary and a member of Parlia- |
nent. Lalmand recently spent I
several weeks in Russia, ostensibly
on a holiday He had left Bel
yium soon after his party was
beaten at the polls in the June
elections. They lost five of their
IL seats in the House and three
Of their six in the Senate. Lal-
nand returned about month ago.
An interesting sidelight on these
events came from London, where
the pro-Russian English-language
news sheet, New Diplomat, ac-
cused both the Belgian and
Communist parties of
"Messianic deviation" This term
was not explained in detail, but
the article charged that Com
parties of France and Bel
gium are stuffed with Titoists,
cryptic TrotZkyiSts and authentic
Trotzkyists." This deviation, it
said, cannot continue. The publi-
cation is not, according to the
Soviet news agency Tass, officially
connected with either the Soviet
government or its embassy in
London.
Leo -RexiStS" Blamed.
The Communist Party called a
meeting in Liege and rushed out
a leaf1et for distribution which
blamed the assassination on Leo
Rexists." This is a combination
of the terms Leopoldist and Rex
lists. the latter being a prewar
Fascist movement.
workers of all opinion!" the
leaflets said, "get together to dis
arm the murderers and stop
fascism Demonstrate in mass
to show your indignation against
the assassination of the man who
fought for democracy and peace!
The people. by its action, will
avenge Julien Lahaut!"