The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1913. THE BELGIAN WAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 64, 15 November 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1913. THE BELGIAN WAY.

. A recent Home mail brings some particulars of a Bill brought in by the Belgian Government as a result of the general strike which failed - so quickly and so dismally not very many months ago. It is not proposed to resort to compulsory arbitration, but in each province there will be a Commission of live members, the president and two assessors of which are to be 1 nominated by the King, one assessor by the masters and one by the men. This' Commission will hear disputes and endeavour to effect a settlement. The ..most important part of the measure is that which forbids the intervention of third parties in strikes and lock-outs. The Bill prohibits, under heavy penalties, the rendering of assistance, to strikers by means of gifts, collections, subscriptions, or loans. Belgium is a particularly sane and well governed country, and its population I is largely industrial. After what happened in the great and disastrous I strike above alluded to, the most thoughtful amongst its labour leaders catne to the conclusion that the strike was a two-edged weapon which mostly hurt the worker more severely than the employer, and that they have no further use for it. New Zealand may now learn ibis lesson in the bitter school of experience.