Election High Jinks In Belgium

Chronicle (Levin), 27 June 1949, Page 5

Election High Jinks In Belgium

Received Suuday, 7 p.m. LONDON, June 25. ' More than half of 5,500,000 Belgians who vote tomorrow will be women who are voting for the first time in the General Elacfions, says Reuter's Brassels correspondent. The central issue is the Royal question. ^ The Catholics want King Leopold back. The Socialists and Communists are opposed to his return. The Liberals are divided on the issue. Highlighting tne Liberal's programme is a proposed 25 per eent. reduction in taxes. The Communists yJiave paraded the major towns headed by brass bands aua followed by housewives pushing prams and carrying babies dressed in rol. Walls and hoardings have been cov■ered with posters. The Communists crept out' nightljr to tear down Socialist, Catholi# and- Liberal posters. The Liberals 'crept out to tear down rival -election posters and so did the Catholies and Sofeialists. ; t/.lTnder Belgi^m 's; , electoral system, each Party(carries a number allotted in qi. lqttery by the Ministry of the In•terior. The So.eialists ^ained No. 1, the Communists , No. 2," the Catholics No. 3, and the Liberals No. 4. The tist includes also five smaller Independent Parties. Socialist hight marauders stuck No. 1- on every other Party's election posters. 4" The voters will elect members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. The municipal elections will be conducted at the same time.

' Tha D.ail# .i^Iail's Brussels corresqibndent !^ays iilie 'Socialist Prime Minister, Mr. Spaak, said that if the Christian Social (Catholie) Party won jatijabsolute majority In the General E|e9itioii .and tried to prganise a refer;Dn the . questidn of Leopold 's {jtfturn, there might be "a battle" in jBeigiuni. "I am not making any

threats but only forecakting a situatio that eould arise," he said. The Socialist Party has repeatedl warned of ^a general strike if any a tempt is made to bring Leopold bae from exile.