"BELGIUM IS DEAD."

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1919, Page 3

"BELGIUM IS DEAD."

WHAT DR. DILLON SAW, MURK AND GLOOM IN BRUSSELS. With the invasion of Belgium when the war began, its annihilation as a Slate was at once a condition and consequence of Germany's military successits reconstruction will be the first step toward the resettlement of the world, and at the same time a fair indication of the basis on which that settlement is conceived by the intrepid architects of the now political fabric, writes Dr. EK. Dillon.

For tlie.se reasons I felt drawn to that country as soon after the armistice as one could reach it. And then, at the end of fifty-two months, I was en'abled to acquire some notion of the intensity of the change that had come over that once happy land. The names Fumes, Dixinude, and Lou. vain, and .still more, a glance at their present plight," sent one back on the wings of imagination to the massacre of armed and unarmed m-cM, to the ferocious savagery that marked the withering breath of war, to the shattering of sacred shrines into dust, to the downfall of secular institutions, to the ebb of civilisation. For there can be no doubt in the minds of those who visited the countries blighted by the evils of war that, e'vilisation has not merely stood still four years a.nd n.-quarter. It per-, ee.ptibly lias gon« back, and it looks as though the lowest level had aot vet been mpcherl. \ot only have phT«!ciil plagues ('flcimsted whole di-trictis, but morn than infection has laid waste the souls of many. BLEAK OUTLOOK OF YOUTH. Troops of boys and girls, some of them tiny tots of four and live years old, came tripping blithely along the country road, released from school To most of them the state of >var, with its cruel customs and bitter hate, had tempered somewhat the infant mind. They were the natural condition to them of huioan nature.

They nevi ■■ ; :now any other- Little boys with whom T talked, none of them oldei) than seven* entreated me to give them cigarettes. I was astonished to find nearly all of them looking so hale, ruddy, and happy, amusing themselves so heartily. They, at any rate, had managed to thrive under adverse conditions."" Little girls, enveloped in becoming dark blue cloaks, with their blonde hair falling down over their pretty hoods, glided forward as deftly in their wooden shoes—none had any other foot-

wear—as though their feet were encased in supple leather dancing shoes. Mast of them carried their lunch in their

hands. It consisted of -white turnips, tender little carrots, which they would munch every now and* again at intervals in their play. This tranquilising spectacle started within me healing thoughts, solacing hopes, which drew strength from scenes of rural toil softened by the tender charities of family life, which unfolded themselves more and more frequently as I moved farther away from the traces of war's havoc.

But even wliiie taking in these pleasig rustic risMr and sounds I was startled now ?nd again by the grisly tnuobps and ouk-1 contrast that curdle one's heart. P.TU2PR aave me mv first idea t>f the present conditions in Belgian towns, which was afterwards ii.mplv borne oi\t by what I saw and heard at Ghent. Brussels, and other cities. Thsrc is scarcity in them all of oractically everv neee==nrv of life. Meat can he had at a pric« which is far bevond the means of the bulk of those whose food it was wont to bo previous to the war; bread can bo had onh* with cards, and it is severely rationed It is soppy and lieavy, and indigestible, and costs WO per cent, more than before the war.. Sugar is a luxury to be had only in very small quantities- Butter, although cheaper than it was, still costs 15 francs per pound. Mill; is sold in very restricted quantities for children and people invalided, and when diluted with water costs 300 per cent, more than before tho war. All harvest cereal was taken bv the Germans before they left, and some of it was transported by them through the Dutch province of Lemburg, contrary to international conventions. of leather are even scarcer than food. Common boots which sold in 1914 for 25 francs and francs, now cost n round WO francs to 230 francs. The prices of ladies' boots of mediocre quality have risen to the «ame level. Ladies' everyday costumes have gone up SflO per cent, and bicker. Common bed sheets which formerly cost 10 francs, cannot be now purchased under 100 francs each Belgium has no manufactures, no machinery, no raw stuffs. The fact that the working class have nothing to do is no reason to suppose that their lot will soon be bettered when 411,000 odd employees of the railways arc idle, because international military authorities, who are running the lines, are unable to entertain the proposal that the Ministry of Railways should have control of conditions, and that they should give priority to the demands of the various armies. The ferment caused by this state of affairs, which is intense in Socialistic circles, is spreading steadily in less aggressive quarters. But this is digression. After niglitfall we sped through long, darksome corridors, where silence was audible and oppressive. Nor did we realise we were already in Brussels until suddenly we emerged into a centre of dazzling light and beheld the boulevard filled with the slnsraish tide of human beings flowing from out the Cimmerian darkness fiddvin? hack again. Not only the capital, lmt/nll Belsium. might have contributed this mishtv stream, so numerous and varied were its elements.

The crowd moved aimlessly, perhaps to assure itself that it was really free oiico more. Elags, pennons, portraits, garlands, bunting, and words of welcome made the city seem as though it was .smiling through its tears. I confess I was astounded, almost scandalised, by what I saw. Can it be true, I asked myself, that Brussels is the gayest city in Europe to-day? In its flood of brilliant colours its inhabitants are perhaps enjoying themselves to their heart's conlent. But this impression was shortlived, for a few seconds later I was whirled into regions of silence, sorrow, and gloom. There is but one spot In the whole place whore the blaze of light is permitted. Everywhere else the streets are murkier far than in any other European capital. Brussels, nay, Belgium, is dead—economically, indiwtriallv, and politically. Onlv the heart still beats feebly. The members are dumb ' and motionless. I liave liad few more | painful experiences since T left Belgium in August, 1914. than (hose with which 1 my sojourn was accompanied in December, 1918.