Baa

Page 12 — P. A. Features, March 3

News Of The Belgium Left

By SERGEANT JACK PHILLIPS.

I have just returned from spending a 48-hour leave in Brussels, my first leave since
On the surface Brussels looks happy and gay, but one
does not have to probe far beneath the surface to find hunger, want and political frustra-

landing in France on July 26.

tion.

During my short stay I had
the opportunity to meet Bel-
gians of many classes and
ideologies, and I took the op-
portunity to ask many ques-
tions. a

On the whole, the general
, attitude is one of frustration.

Eyerywhere you hear people
say: “Well, what can we do
about it? SBritain wants to

keep the present government in
power and we are helpless.”
Shades’ of Greece!
Among the - upper
classes and even in certain
financial and industrial circles
you will find the same opinions,
but often qualified with the
Churehill-Scobie formula of
‘taking strong measures to
avoid the communist putsch.”
“The communists did good
work during the occupation,”
some will tell you, “but then
they tried to organize a putsch
when the government was weak
and unpopular. That's why
Britain interfered, to prevent
a revolution and protect her
supply lines. Why did the gov-
ernment refuse to incorporate
the resistance movements into
the armed forces? Because the

communists had . key men
spread all through the resis-
tance movement and they

wanted to organize a putsch.”

You listen politely, and then
ask: “But what about France,
with a provisional government
based on the resistance move-

ment, where the communists
are even stronger?”
“France, Monsuier, has De

Gaulle. He is a symbol of great-
ness. We have Pierlot, a sym-
bol of futility.”

Thus, it is all a matter of
mystic symbolism to such peo-
ple. De Gaulle is not great be-
cause he represents national
unity embracing all anti-fascist
forces—-and Pierlot is not weak
because he represents a futile
emigre government. No, this
thesis would be too simple, and
its acceptance would lead only
to difficult thoughts, and even
more difficult action.

into the office of

| dropped
(the

“The Drapeau Rouge”

Red Flag), organ of the Com-.

munist Party of Belgium. Pub-
lished in French and Flemish,
the paper is housed; along with
the Gommunist Party of Bel-
gium, in what used to be the
headquarters of the Rexists
(Belgian Fascists) during the
occupation.

I was successful in obtaining
an interview with a member of
the staff whom I queried with
a view to obtaining his party's
view on what has transpired in
Belgium since the return of the
Pierlot government.

“Was the food situation im-
proved since your city’s libera-
tion?” J asked.

“In some respects yes
in some respects no. For in-
stance, under the Germans Wwe
had 250 grams of bread a day,
per person, and now we have
350.

“Concerning fats, we received

middle-

250 grams a month, per per-
son, under the Germans. Now
our ration is 100 grams 2a

month, but we've had no ration

in three months.”
“Where is it going?”

“The black market, of course.
Butter and milk used to be dis-
tributed through the CNAA
(Corporation National Agricul-
ture Allimentation), but it was
a collaborationist organization
and it was dissolved) With
nothing to replace it, distribu-
tion has broken down.

“Ts there no official ration of
fats whatsoever?”

“Qh yes, we had 400 grams
of margerine this month, and
we are to have 500 grams next
month. Maybe you are inter-
ested in our meat ration? Un-
der the Germans we had 50,
then 85 and finally 25 grams
of meat per person, per day.
Now, our ration is 35, but not
always available’

“What are the facts behind
the coal shortage?”

“This is a very complicated
situation, but I wall give you a
few highlights. (If you wish,
you can have some back copies
of our paper and get a more
complete picture.) To begin
with, it is true that there is
insufficient wood for props,
but it is also true that many
mine owners are not using their
full supplies of pit props. Be-
fore the war, timber came
largely from Sweden and Fin-
land, but after the Germans
came, we began to get our tim-
ber from the Ardennes. The
recent German offensive cut
off this source of supply. Then,
the number of miners decreased
by 20,000. The Germans had
slave labor from all over Bur-
ope in the mines, and also in-

duced many voung “Belgians
who were not miners, to ac-
cept work in the mines by

promising them immunity from
deportation to Germany.

“Now, the slave workers
have gone, and thousands of
young imen who went to the

-mines unwillingly have left to

seek other employment. Even
in peace time, we had many
foreign workers in our mines.”

“Js there insufficient trans-
port to move miners, timbers

“and coal to where they are most

needed?”

“The transportation system
is in a bad way, granted, but
coal is getting to the black
market. In our opinion, the
mine directors are deliberately
holding production down in or-
der to sell a large part of their
limited output to black market
outlets. us, there is a much
greater profit to be made in
producing a small amount that
sells for 7,000 franes a ton than
there is in producing as much
as possible at, say 500 francs
a ton. However, the govern-
ment has announced that a new
organization has been set up
to handle the distribution of
coal, and we are looking for-
ward to an improvement.”

“FS the trade union movement
strong in Belgium?”

“Yes, but not as strong as
it would be if we had complete
unity. Before the war, we had
two great trade union syndi-
cates: Catholic and Socialist.
The Socialist Syndicate had a
membership of. 700,000 before
the war and the Christian Syn-
dicate a membership of 300,000.

The latter was an affiliate of’

the Catholic Party and had
most of its strength in Flan-
ders, while the Socialist “Syndi-
cate had most of its strength
in Walloon Belgium, where the
Socialists and Communists also
had much influence. During
the occupation, when trade
union activity was carried on

clandestine fashion, the

in a
Committee De Lutte Syndicate
sprang up, uniting all clandes-

tine groups and carrying on

active organizational, proepa-
ganda and sabotage work in
the mines, shops, factories,

transportation field, and so on.

Today, the Committee De Lutte™

(Committee of Struggle) still
embraces a large part of the
old syndicates, and is tackling
the problem of achieving or-
ganic unity between the two
federations of workers, thus
creating one, united trade union
movement in Belgium. While
we are proud, as party mem-
bers, that our party took the
initiative in organizing this
committee im the face of savage
Gestapo ltertor, we are not
pressing for unity with any ul-
terior motives in mind. We
want to see the workingclass of
Belgium united and strong.
While we carry on intensive
educational and organizational
work from below, to win the
masses for unity, we are never-
theless leaving no stone un-
turned in achieving unity of
thought. purpose and organiza-
tion among the respective
leaders of the workers. The
present government has no
popular support and a general
demoralization has set in
among the peonle. We must

unite the workingclass. The
German invasion of the Arden-
nes saved the Pierlot govern-
ment, but nothing fundamental
has been solved. The execution

has been stayed.”

‘PELL me,’ I asked, “what is
the composition of the pres-
ent parliament ?”

“The composition is as fol-
lows: Catholic Party 74, Lib-
erals 23, Socialists 65, Commu-
nists 8. Five of the Commu-
nist deputies are prisoners in
Germany. Sixteen seats for-
merly held by the VNV, a weak
collaborationist group, are va-
eant—also four formerly held
by the Rexists, who-were out-
and-out fascists.”

“Then the Catholics, Liberals
and Socialists form the govern-
ment ?’

“Yes. Our two ministers
withdrew because the govern-
ment refused to incorporate the
resistance forces inte the regu-
lar armed forces of the nation.
Another minister, representing
the resistance movement also
resigned.”

“What is the strength of the
Communist Party ?”’ 5

“Jt is impossible to give an

accurate figure, but if an elec-_

tion were held tomorrow we
would probably increase our
representation from eight to
35 seats. Even more than the
national government in Britain,
our government does not re-
present the political relations
outside the house of parliament.
This emigre government has
failed to serve the people pre-
cisely because the Conditions
today, and the relative strength
of the different parties de-
mands a government with
greater left and militant demo-
cratic representation.”

“Ts it the aim of your party
to force the present govern-
ment to the wall, as your slo-
gans indicated after the shoot
ings ?’

“Ein bas livec Pierlot! By
all means! But with the Ger-
mans back in Belgium a tactical
change was necessary. To
strike at such a time would
have meant to help the Ger-
mans. We are still, however,
working to replace the govern-
ment by a left-democratic co-
alition of Socialists, Commu-
nists, leftwing Liberals and the
more progressive wing of the
Gatholic Party (called the
Christian Democrats)”

“Are your relations with the
Socialist Party good?”

“They could be better. If we
had a united front with them on
all major problems,
the formation of a govern,
ment, the solution of Belgian’s

problems would be much easier

to bring about. Unfortunately,
Social Democrats are not al-
ways easy to work with—espe-
cially the top leaders.”

“Your press devotes much
space to criticizing the govern-
ment for beimg too lenient with

collaborationists. Why?”
“Because it is so. Sixty

thousand collaborators are in

prison—true—but very few of

the greater economic collabo-
rators are in prison. Qne man
who betrayed another to the
Germans, and thus caused his
death, received only two years
in prison. This is not justice!”

There .is no doubt that the
economic structure of Belgium

including .

is suffering from many }
deficiences and painful a
tions. : ee
Available transport is oj
fraction of what it was b
the war. Raw materials,
and lubricants are in yery
supply. Industrial plants
equipment have become
out, and, to a great 2
obsolete due to lack of rej

;
{

The greater part of the
tion’s rolling stock is sa:
be disabled, and official es”
tes place the number of y
‘cars and trucks availab:
less than ten percent of :
War Standing. :

After nearly five years ¢
ing on their live-stock (1
fed by want of oil cake im
ed from abroad) the buj
up of livesteck herds yall
from five to ten years. |
there is hardly a great pro.
of increased meat and
production unless cattle ari
ported.

Six hundred ehomsnns
gians have been dragge
Germany for slave labor. —

_enty thousand officers and

are still prisoners of war, ”

Financially the Germar
cupation swindled Belgiun
of 136,000,000 frances. This
not include material de:
tion, requisitions,, plunc
and the loss represented b
670,000 prisoners in Germ

The cost in money
equals ten years of Belg
normal budget.

Real and potential cur
amounts to 183,000,006
three times aS much as 1
1940. The national debt ~
at 175,000 millions, or
times as much as in May

Belgium has been cruel]
bed, exploited and starve
nearly five years. The ¢ —
on the nation’s health apr -
rible to relate. Ht is esti
that the average constr ©
today is as low as 1400 @
per day.

Outwardly, id the towr |
cities, the casual soldi
leave does not notice the +
hunger and frustration o
gium—but they are very ~

Faced with such an acu: |
sis, is it any wonder th! |
question of left -=dem:
unity is the paramount gt
for all true Belgian pai

All of us Canadian s™
who have fond memories
warm welcome in Belgiv
of us who have friends’
and learned to love thit
industrious country — Wi -
cerely hope that Belgiui
soon achieve national
based on the best and hea |
elements in the body ~
We also hope that, oni
war is over, the 4a'|
of Belgium will spare 7
pense to help her on he
again—and they will givi
ly to a popular democrat —
ernment truly represe
of the people’s will.

@

(Ed.: This story was |
ten before Peirlot’s re:
tion.)