News from Belgium and the Belgian Congo, vol. IV, no. 13, April 1

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News from Belgium and the Belgian Congo, vol. IV,
no. 13, April 1, 1944
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VOL.
IV,
APRIL
N o . 13
NEWS
FROM
1, 1944
BELGIUM
AND T H E
B E L G I A N CONGO
BELGIAN
INFORMATION
CENTER
6 3 0 F I F T H A V E N U E , N E W Y O R K , N . Y.
CIRCLE
6 2450
AM material published In N E W S F R O M B E L G I U M may be reprinted without
permission. Please send copies of material in which quotations are used to this office.
T H E S E PERIOUICAL B U L L E T I N S M A Y B E O B T A I N E D F R E E O N R E Q U E S T .
Anniversary
Three years ago the first issue of
News From Belgium was published. It
started off on a modest scale. Thanks
to the response of the American public,
it has grown to proportions the editor
never dreamed of. Over 100,000 copies
of this booklet are printed each week.
They even appear to be read, at least
if we believe the diversified reactions
of our correspondents. The majority
of the readers seem to agree with
the editorial comments; some consider
them "mere d r i v e l . " Not even the Lord
can please everybody and besides, who
would want to do so?
A publication is as much the property of the reader as of the editor.
Reading a publication regularly is already a form of consent, of complicity:
to a certain extent it demands that the
reader should occasionally express his
agreement or his objections. Addressing
Notice
a foreign audience, the editor, as a foreigner in these United States, is eager
to learn whether the small bridge he
tries to build between his country, an
oppressed group of 8,500,000 people,
and the mighty millions of Americans,
is constructed in such a way that it will
permit both Americans and Belgians
to cross the natural differences and
some artificially created misunderstandings that might exist between the
two nations. Therefore, we will be
grateful i f on the occasion of this third
anniversary the readers of News From
Belgium who feel themselves in a position to do so would express their constructive criticisms.
As at this time last year, the editor
expresses the hope that this bulletin
may disappear as soon as possible, for
this would be the proof that news again
will be free in Belgium.
—THE
EDITOR.
NEWS
FROM
BELC.ITM
APEIL
1,
1944
"I Adorn the World, but I Despise It."
Some time ago a young American, who
for some reason or other was unable to join
the army, was heard complaining about the
fact that for the duration at least he couldn't
see anything of the world. He said in dead
earnest, "I am practically encaged in these
United States."
Oh, wonderful cage, and how jealous
would be those millions of people in Europe
and elsewhere who all their lives for religious, political, linguistic, or simply economic
reasons are unable to move farther than 100
miles from their homes! But after all, Mr.
Paul Morand wrote a book called Rien Que
La Terre, a title which throws the regrets of
the young American into the shade. "Nothing but the earth," says Mr. Morand, and
the globe's dimensions continue to become
smaller and narrower while our desires and
ambitions are supposed to exceed its size
and shape.
The trouble with the world is that we
identify ourselves with what we know. To
keep our interest in life going we need mystery and excitement, — excitement arising
out of mystery. We have come to know this
old world too well. There are scarcely even
a few corners left of which we do not have
good maps and surveys. Every school child
is familiar with the shape of the earth.
Everybody knows that except for a few retreats in the woods along the Amazon, the
world will soon look like a model village in
a nineteenth-century World's Fair. A few
years ago when a daring writer and explorer
wanted to partake of a genuine two-course
cannibal meal, the poor alleged cannibals,
although they did not want to offend him,
were extremely embarrassed and were forced to serve him a piece of mutton instead.
When the movie potentates want to show us
a 100% savage, they serve us the impressive
anatomy of Johnny Weismuller, who is so
highly civilized that he writes books about
the breast stroke. No, there is little "nature"
left for amateurs. We have to make it up
ourselves.
The Golden Age of the dreamers, naturelovers and globe-trotters was between 1500
and 1600. Christopher Columbus, as the
locker-room song has it, "that navigatin, calculatin, son-of-a gun, Colombo," unleashed
something in millions of minds and hearts
from which we all still suffer. When Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic everyone was
elated: we, — all of us humans, — had done
something the elements didn't want us to
do. It was glorious, but at the same time we
felt the earth was shrinking. In our subconscious we understood that in our quest for
the truth we would soon no longer have the
excuse of going places to find out what other
people had discovered. We saw that the solution for our problems was not any more
to be found in the study of a diversified
mankind but in ourselves. Now there is no
place on earth which you can't reach in 60
hours. The fact that mappemondes do not
look global any more but have acquired the
shape of a trigonometrist's nightmare is but
a diversion. The modern man is told that
the world is a small, third-rate planet and
that we know all about it.
All that started when Ptolemaeus, the
Greek, began making maps. Up to 1462
they were still considered worthy of publication, but real map-making and publishing
developed only in the sixteenth century. It
had nothing to do with any philosophical
preoccupation; it was just the answer to a
need of the time.
Antwerp, the "gathering-place of merchants of all nations," was at that time the
economic center of Western Europe. Poets
lauded it in exalted rhymes, foreign writers
and distinguished visitors praised it as the
greatest and richest of all European cities.
As an illustration of the theory that art and
science need the background of a capitalistic society, one could not find any better
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example. The rich merchants and financiers not only wanted to be entertained by
the artists, they not only asked the painters
to represent them and their ponderous
spouses on canvas, but they also expected
the scientists to make life easier for them by
their discoveries or by cataloguing the rudiments of scientific knowledge already existing in certain realms of human endeavor.
Like the eighteenth century, the sixteenth
is a period not so much of great creative activity but of inventories and encyclopedic
surveys.
One of the most urgent requirements of
the international crowd that convened in
the Antwerp Exchange, the first one to be
established in the world, was the need of
good maps of Europe, Africa and Asia.
Travel was still a hazardous enterprise, distances were poorly defined, errors were
manifold in the existing land and coast
maps. A whole school of map-makers and
engravers sprang up, the most famous of
all being Mercator, whose projection of the
globe has only recently been discarded for
a more modern conception. They drew
maps, they bought maps from the Italians,
the Spaniards and the Portuguese. They redrew and reprinted them and sold them.
Among these sellers of maps was one
Abraham Ortelius, born in Antwerp in
1527. He had latinized his inelegant name
of Wortel (root) or Ortel into a scholarlysounding version. By trade he was a merchant. He saw a great deal of Europe and
used to go twice a year from his home town
to the fairs of Frankfort, a voyage comparable to a transcontinental trip nowadays.
He was registered in the artists' union as
an "afzetter van kaarten," a vendor of maps.
We know little about his character, but
still enough to appreciate him as a great
liberal mind; in the troubled times of the
second half of the sixteenth century he was
brave enough to write: "I think that the
writer is under the obligation of speaking
the truth as he sees it." When the freedom
of the spirit was completely oppressed by
the tyranny of Philip II, he wrote: "The
1,
1944
wise man must keep silent these days . . ."
He was honored by the bigot's suspicions
and he probably belonged to a circle of influential, highly cultured men who understood that the conflicts of the sixteenth century were not to be reduced to dogmatic
quarrels but that the stake was the very dignity of the scientist, of the writer, of man.
Somewhat disillusioned he chose as a motto
for his crest, which represented a globe: "I
adorn it, but I despise it."
His claim to glory is that next to Mercator he was the greatest geographer of his
time. He was the first one to put together
the good maps already in circulation, to
which he added several of his own invention, and to publish them in the "most expensive volume of the sixteenth century,"
the Theatre of the World (1553), which
had three editions in Latin, one in Flemish,
several in French and German, — altogether
38. The book contained 53 maps and created a world-wide sensation. In 1570 he published a number of additions to his great
work. He was aided by Anna, his sister, who
did the coloring of the maps, a job that was
generally entrusted to women by the publishers of those days. It had to be done by
hand in order not to obscure the lettering
and the other details of the engraving. His
work is scientific and accurate and his commentaries on the regions represented are
still of value. This atlas contains a map of
the Americas that reproduces the rather
fantastic ideas geographers had of that continent. Oddly enough. South America, which
was far better known, looks like a square,
while the outline of North America is substantially correct. Except for part of Canada and a good view of Florida, the whole
of the United States is listed as terrae incognitae. The Chamber of Commerce of the
orange-blossom state ought to reprint this
map.
Ortelius considered geography "the eye
of history." In his Renaissance eagerness to
reconstruct the world of the ancients, he
[103}
NEWS
FROM
BELGIUM
APRIL
collected medals and coins, he copied inscriptions and tried with all the scientific
means at his disposal to give a correct image
of the world as the Romans had seen it. His
collection of coins and his publications on
that subject made him an authority, and
his home became a "must" on the list of the
most distinguished sightseers of his time.
1,
1944
his friends were obliged to publish a book
in his memory, entitled, Lacrymae Poetarum . . ., the tears of the poets on the death
of Abraham Ortelius. You can always trust
the poets; they never shed tears over anybody who isn't really worth while. So let
all lovers of atlases, globes and mappemondes join in remembering gratefully the 14-th
of April (some say it is the 4:th ), on which
date was born in that pearl of cities, Antwerp, Abraham Ortelius, the father of all
the atlases of this vale of tears.
Not only did he popularize the study of
geography, which was in need of it, but he
instigated the drawing of numerous new
maps all over Europe. His Theatrum is a
monument of science, and when he died so
many poets took to the pen and the lyre that
—THE
EDITOR.
B. The Occupation
1. Belgium
Administration
A. The Wat
D.F.C. for Flying Officer - T h e B e l g i a n
M i n i s t r y of Information announces:
F l y i n g Officer D . , a Belgian whose recent victories have been the subject of several announcements, has just been awarded the Distinguished
F l y i n g Cross for his brilliant work, with the following citation:
" F l y i n g Officer D. has served with his present
squadron since M a r c h , 1943, and has constantly
displayed skill, courage, and keenness which has
greatly inspired his fellow pilots.
" F l y i n g Officer D . has destroyed at least five
enemy aircraft and inflicted very severe damage
on the enemy."
Nazis Commandeer Transport Barges —
Barges of from 600 tons to 2,000 tons capacity
have been commandeered by the Germans i n
B e l g i u m , France, the Netherlands, Poland and
Yugoslavia. These boats have been taken to
Germany, for transport service on the R h i n e
and side canals, to supplement the insufficient
means of conveyance.
Floating Prison in the Baltic — According
to information from Sweden, a German armed
merchantman is being used i n the B a l t i c as a
floating prison. Belgian, French and Norwegian
prisoners are confined on board, also workers
requisitioned from occupied countries.
Charieroi Troops Forbidden Contact With
Civilians — Brawls between German soldiers
and their officers are occurring frequently at
C'harleroi, according to reports from occupied
Belgium. The German gendarmerie often have
to intervene to restore order.
A s certain German soldiers have got into the
habit of airing their grievances to Belgians i n
the cafes, the German Command at Charleroi
has forbidden the troops to have any contact with
the c i v i l population.
German Police Have to Discipline German Soldiers — A t Tongeren, i n Belgian L i m burg, discipline i n a German barracks where
there were 1,200 recruits deteriorated so seriously that the commanding officer had to appeal
to the Gestapo.
The soldiers were paraded on the barrack
square before three plain-clothes police officials,
who picked out a dozen victims and marched
them off.
Anti-Fascist Italians Interned—The Germans have taken over the chateau, at Boitsfort,
Brussels, of M . P a u l van Zeeland, the former
Belgian P r i m e Minister. I t is to be used for
the internment of Italians who were l i v i n g i n
occupied B e l g i u m when the Italian army capitulated, and who have refused to j o i n Mussolini's republican Fascist party.
[104]
Belgian Men of Science
Opus inm- £mi ai j^^^_jiM^
mymrum. muiris^w
MB
r^jMum.li
Frontispiece of the "Theatre of the World" by Ortelius.
MJZ^!^"
A sixteenth
century atlas i n c o r p o r a t i n g the geographical knowledge o f the w o r l d then existi n g with o r i g i n a l inventions a n d discoveries o f the author.
(See e d i t o r i a l ) .
Vesalius (1514-1564), the greatest anatomist of the sixteenth century.
H i s works
revolution-
i z e d a n a t o m i c a l science. I n 1543 he p u b l i s h e d h i s b o o k on the construction of the h u m a n b o d y , " D e H u m a n i
C o r p o r i s F a h r i c a , " with w h i c h it has b e e n said " m o d e r n m e d i c i n e b e g i n s . " T h i s m o n t h , A p r i l 30, is the anniversary o f his b i r t h .
NEWS
FROM
APRIL
BELGIUM
Political Life
German Chivalry! — I n Belgian L i m b u r g
Province lives an old gentleman, A r m a n d de
i l e n t e n de H o m e . One of his sons was execnted
by the Germans for patriotic activities during
this war. Another son was a pilot i n the Belgian
A i r Force in Great B r i t a i n . H e was shot down
d u r i n g a raid over Germany. The father had
masses said in his home town, St. T r u i d e n , and
in Brussels, for the repose of his soul. The Germans heard of it. The German M i l i t a r y Court
has just sentenced A r m a n d de ^lenten to six
years of hard labor for having arranged for
these ceremonies to which he gave "the character of anti-German manifestations."
S i x years of hard labor for honoring the
memory of his sons! The judges who pronounced
this sentence surely wanted to prove that Germany is a chivalrous country which respects
brave men.
Nazis Refer to News of Allied Successes
as "Evil Opinion" — The N a z i Briisseler Zeilung, referring reluctantly and i n a most u n complimentary manner to the temper of the general public, says: " I t is not by mere caprice that
the number of miles by which the Bolsheviks
have advanced is reflected i n every face or that
news from 'over there' is hawked around towns
and provinces through sewers of evil opinion iij
the form of the wickedest of rumors."
Germans Seize Hostages for
"Banditry"—
(ierman propagandists i n occupied Belgium try
to discredit Belgian patriots by putting them on
the same plane as highway robbers. Under the heading "1943, Y e a r of B a n d i t r y , "
a German-controlled newspaper gives the following summary of incidents i n occupied B e l gium last year: 366 political acts of violence.
7,131 other oifenses, including thefts at pistol
point of money, foodstuffs and ration coupons,
and the destruction of crops. 815 acts of sabotage and similar offenses.
The fact that the Germans seize hostages after most of the attacks and acts of sabotage is
sufficient proof that they do not really look on
them as the work of bandits.
New Terrorist Measures Against Patriots
—^With the threat of an A l l i e d landing i n the
West hanging over them, and the resistance of
1.
1944
the population growing i n strength, the Germans i n occupied Belgium are preaching reconciliation between collaborators and patriots, but
this does not prevent them from ordering new
terrorist measures, against the patriots.
The German newspaper Briisseler
Zeitung
publishes a proclamation by General von F a l kenhausen, German military governor for B e l gium and Northern France, i n which he states:
" A l l political prisoners w i l l be regarded as hostages after attacks against members of the German army or against the loyal part of the population."
I n German proclamations the phrase " l o y a l
part of the population" means the traitors, F l e m ish Nazis and Walloon Fascists—the small m i nority of Belgians who have placed themselves
at the service of the German army and the Gestapo.
What Paper D'Ya Read?-The
German
army i n occupied Belgium is being flooded with
propaganda leaflets. Some come from N a z i
sources and are designed to improve the morale
of the troops; others are drawn up by secret
pacifist and anti-Hitlerite organizations. A t
present six different leaflets are being passed
around among the German soldiers:
The first, drawn up by the German A r m y
Command, is intended for officers. I t warns
them against defeatist propaganda.
The second is addressed to Germans, m i l i t a r y
or civilian, i n charge of the requisitioned factories. It calls their attention to sabotage and
other violent incidents.
The third is the work of Reeder, chief of the
(ierman c i v i l administration i n Belgium. It
orders the staff of this administration to inform
the German police and S. S. immediately i f
they hear of any group or individual trying to
undermine the authority of the occupying
power.
The fourth, from a secret organization, advises the German soldiers to desert and, i f they
can, to get themselves interned i n Switzerland.
This leaflet bears a red circle by way of signature.
The fifth, similarly marked, contains a list,
for the benefit of the German soldiers, of a l l the
streets i n German cities kno\vn to have been
pulverized by the R A F bombardments.
The sixth, also secret, is directed against H i t ler and his regime.
[105]
NEWS
FROM
BELGIUM
APRIL
Rexists Announce They Murdered Bovesse
in Reprisal — V i c t o r i l a t t l i y s , the closest associate of Leon Degrelle, leader of the Rexists
(Walloon Fascists), has openly stated that the
recent murder of M . Frangois Bovesso, formerly
a Belgian Cabinet l l i n i s t e r , whom the Germans dismissed from office as Governor of the
province of N a m u r , was committed by the
Rexists.
I n a funeral oration at the burial of the traitor E d g a r d Gignot, chief Rexist of the N a m u r
district, who was shot by patriots, Matthys s a i d :
" M a y Heaven grant to our heroic martyrs
the peace that they desen'e and give to us the
strength and courage to avenge them! Today
we need not say that prayer, for our comrade is
already avenged. O u r stern and faithful comrades have dispensed f u l l and swift justice."
M. Bovesse had been nmrdered three days
earlier.
News From Belgium of M a r c h 4 carried an
editorial article on the death of M . Bovesse.
Economic and Social Life
German Police Appropriate Cash — German police agents i n Brussels, working probably
on their own account, are making searches in
houses where they expect to find money, and
carrying off, on one pretext or another, any
banknotes they come across.
I n the R u e G r a y , some of these German policemen or pseudo-policemen, after ransacking
a house from top to bottom, took possession of
a box containing 1 6 0 , 0 0 0 francs i n Belgian money (equivalent to $ 5 , 1 2 0 at the pre-war rate).
A t another place thev seized 4 7 5 , 0 0 0 francs
($15,200)
in
1,000-franc
notes, two
10,000-
franc notes, and 2 0 , 0 0 0 francs i n other notes,
together with 7 5 , 0 0 0 francs in French currency.
Belgian "Debt" to Germany Mounts —
Volk en Stoat, Nazi-controlled paper published
in Antwerp, reports February 7 : " A t present
our clearing claim on Germany is more than 5 0
billion Belgian francs as compared with 2 6 b i l lion on the same date last year."
Von Falkenhausen on Pigeons — A s r e ported editorially in a previous issue, from
M a r c h 1, pigeon keeping is forbidden by tlic
Germans i n the coastal area between the Somme
estuary, France, and the Dutch-Belgian frontier.
1,
194+
A n order i,ssued by General von Falkcidiansen, German military commander for B e l g i u m
and Northern France, lays down that this prohibition applies to all breeds of pigeons, and
tliat the owners of homing pigeons must deliver
to their local mayors or burgomasters the identification rings of pigeons killed.
The zone in which pigeons may not bo kept
includes the Belgian districts of Veurne, D i x muide, Ostend, and Brugge, as w(>ll as the region situated north of the line of the Ghent
canal, the Moen'aart, and the Scheldt, as far
as the Dutch border. The left bank of the maritime Scheldt and its hinterland are thus included in the coastal zone.
Resistance to Nazi Occupation
Russian Prisoners Grateful; Belgian Aid
Continues — A secret newspaper appearing i n
occupied B e l g i u m , under the title Void I'U.S.
S.R. (Russia C a l l i n g ) , has published a letter
from a Russian prisoner of war. The following
is a translation of the letter:
" T h e Russian prisoners of war appreciate •
your help and thank you with all their heart.
We beg you to express our deep gratitude to
the Belgian people who, i n spite of all the difficulties and all the restrictions under which
they themselves are suffering, have been helping
us so generously since our arrival i n Belgium.
" I t is difficult for us to convey how precious
your gifts are to us, both materially and morally, for they are evidence that, even in captivity
and so far from our own country, we have many
friends on whom we can count.
" W e shall always remember your friendshij).
and i f it is our good fortune to return one day
to our own country, we shall make known there
the brave and k i n d l y attitude of the Belgian
population towards us."
The paper adds:
" D e a r Readers, we must continue to support
the unfortunate Russian prisoners ; we must pa.v
the debt that we have contracted towards the
splendid Russian people, who are fighting for
our deliverance.
" G i v e us money, give us food, for the Russian I*risoners-of-War Maintenance F u n d . "
1200 Church Bells Stolen in Belgium —
The New York Sun of i i a r c h 2 0 . 1 9 4 4 , carried the following piece of news: " N e a r l y 1 2 0 0
churcli bells have been collected by the Ger-
[106]
XEwt* F H O M
BELGIUM
APHIL
mails so far in B e l g i u m alone, and taken to
the Reich, the B r i t i s h radio declared i n a broadcast picked up at New Y o r k today by C B S .
•' ' T i n and copper collected from bells a l l
over Europe represent a large proportion of
(rermany's total consumption last year," Ix)ndon continued, '^[embers of the Belgian underground, at Ilavelange i n eastern B e l g i u m , recently opened fire on a party of Germans who
were taking away the church bells there, and
four Germans were killed.' "
Soldiers of "White Army Defend Farmers in Hainaut — A t Froidchapelle, H a i n a u t ,
in occupied B e l g i u m , men belonging to a patriotic organization known as the White A r m y
killed 40 German soldiers and wounded ten or
a dozen more.
This clash was provoked by the arrival in the
village of about 15 Germans who had come to
requisition cattle from a farmer. T h i r t y members of the White A r m y intervened, and after
a lively exchange of shots the Germans retreat<'d. Some time later they returned with a stronger force, but the patriots were waiting in ambush. The Germans, met with a shower of machine gun bullets, were routed. They left their
dead and wounded behind them. The losses for
the White A r m y were light,—one dead and two
wounded.
Since this incident the W h i t e A r m y has been
very popular i n the district, where the farmers
thoroughly approve of being defended against
the Germans.
The soldiers of the White A r m y who were i n
action at Froidchapelle wore a uniform consisting of khaki pants and blouse, black tie, and a
cartridge belt slung over the shoulder. A doctor
accompanied them on this expedition.
Deportations — A t Charleroi, out of 150
young men drafted for forced labor i n Germany,
only 9 presented themselves at the station October 5, 1943. The week before, there were 15
who left out of 173 drafted.
"The Labor World" Gets By the Gestapo
— T h e secret newspaper Le Monde du Travail
(Tlie Labor World) of the Belgian Socialists,
lias a regular circulation amounting to 20,000
co))ies. A special edition of 25,000 copies was
boldly distributed, i n spite of the efforts of the
Gestapo.
Le Monde du Travail states that the " T r u f -
1,
1944
faut-Delbrouck" mutual aid fund collected 100,000 francs ($3200 at the pre-war rate of exchange) during January, 1944.
Merlot in Exile — Joseph Merlot, Deputy
and former mayor of Seraing, near Liege,
whose arrest was reported i n News From Belgium- of November 6, 1943, has been deported
to Germany. H e had been held at the prison of
Saint Gilles since the first of J u l y .
Condemned to Death — The German m i l i tary command of Liege has announced that in
reprisal for 22 assassinations committed recently i n Liege and Luxemburg, including the k i l l ing of two German soldiers, the following persons have been condemned to death. Although
the murders have not been cleared up, these persons were rounded up by the German police and
found i n possession of arms. Oflermans, Pascal, of 419 rue Vivegnis, L i e g e ; De Ruytter,
i l a r c e l , of 52 quai Orban, L i e g e ; Kremer,
Charles, of 8 rue d'Amay, Liege H e r s t a l ;
Gielen, Camille, of 22 rue Sapiniere, Liege Ser a i n g ; Delcominette, Felicien, of 38 rue Verte,
Liege Seraing; Graindorge, Jean, of 695 rue
Malvaux, Rainet; Fontaine, Clovis, of 116 rue
R o i Albert, Ivez-Ramet; Detaille, P a u l Ernest,
of 7 rue du V i e u x Sacrc, T i l f f ; Watelet, A l phonse, of 105 rue Faubourg Ste. Catherine,
H u y ; Magnee, Roger Antoinette, of 33 rue
Cretalle, Comblain F a i r o n .
2. Belgium Abroad
In the United States
"Belgian Tenacity" — O n Tuesday, M a r c h
28, the ship Belgian Tenacity of the Belgian
L i n e was christened at Portland, Maine, by
Countess V a n dor Straten-Ponthoz, the wife of
the Belgian ambassador to the L^nited States.
Present at the ceremony were Count V a n der
Straten-Ponthoz, Charles Hallaert, Consul General of Belgium i n the United States, A d m i r a l
C. Jones, M r s . Sewell, the wife of the Governor of Ifaine, D r . Jan-Albert Goris, Commissioner of Information for B e l g i u m , and P i e r r e
Cattier, President of the Belgian L i n e .
On this occasion Countess V a n der StratenPonthoz spoke over radio station W C S H .
It w i l l be recalled that when the war broke
out 7 5 % of the Belgian tonnage got to E n g l a n d
and has been taking part i n the convoys and
merchant shipping for three years. U p to 6 5 %
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NKWS
FROM
APRIL
BEI.GICM
of the tonnage was lost i n action hut replaced
either i n E n g l a n d or in America.
1, 1944
4th. The workroom w i l l continue to be open on
Wednesdays, Thursdays and F r i d a y s from 10
a.m. u n t i l 4 p.m.
In Canada
TO ALL BELGIAN STUDENTS
A decree of February 26, 1942, made
effective by a ministerial order of M a y 6,
1943, makes it possible for Belgian subjects residing i n the United K i n g d o m or
i n any other free country to obtain credits
for diplomas and certificates received after M a y 10, 1940, equal to diplomas and
certificates of the same k i n d delivered in
Belgium. The corresponding value of the
foreign and Belgian diplomas w i l l be determined by the Advisory Commission of
Belgian Instruction i n Great B r i t a i n , and
w i l l be ratified by the M i n i s t r y of P u b l i c
Instruction.
When these formalities are complied
with, these diplomas and certificates will
have the same value i n B e l g i u m as the legal Belgian diplomas of the same kind.
These provisions apply especially to certificates for the completion of intermediate
courses and to a l l diplomas presented by
universities.
To avail themselves of this opportunity, those interested should apply to the
University Section of the Belgian M i n i s try of P u b l i c Instruction, 78 Eaton Square.
London, S. W . 1, specifying the diploma
which they desire to submit to the legal
formalities. I f they reside abroad, they
should ask for instructions from the B e l gian diplomatic representatives i n the
country of their residence concerning these
formalities. I n this country, requests for
ratification may be presented to the government through the General Consulate of
Belgium, 50 Rockefeller P l a z a , N e w Y o r k ,
20, N . Y .
Friends of Belgium — I n response to several requests, it has been decided that the workroom at 730 F i f t h Avenue, N e w Y o r k , w i l l remain open on Tuesdays until 9 p.m., as of A p r i l
Belgian Ambassador Presents "Wings" to
Cadets — Georges Theunis, Belgian ambassador-at-large to the United States, presided M a r c h
23 at the ceremony of the presentation of
" w i n g s " to the students of an important m i l i tary aviation school i n Eastern Canada. A m o n g
these students were several young Belgians. H e
was accompanied by B a r o n Silvercruys, B e l gian ambassador to Canada, Captain Jean D u c q ,
air attache i n Canada, and M a j o r A n d r e B i g wood, military attache i n Washington. M r .
Theunis tlien went by military plane to Ottawa
for a short visit at the Embassy where he conferred with members of the government, of P a r liament, and of the Canadian army and a i r
corps.
3. Belgian Congo
Labor Front Beats Own Records in Rubber Production — The Belgian Congo, which
has achiev(}d many records i n the production
and export of copper, t i n , tantalite and other
essential war products, is now attaining unprecedented figures in its export of rubber.
The quantities exported i n 1943 amounted to
nearly 8,000 tons, of which 0,210 tons were
wild rubber and 1,765 tons plantation rubber.
The maximum aiuiual tonnages previously exported were 6,020 tons of wild rubber, i n 1901,
and 1,337 tons of plantation rubber, i n 1942.
The figures for 1943 exceed those of the seven
l)receding years put together, and are five times
as high as the 1942 figures. E i g h t y per cent of
the wild inibber supplied to the Allies is equal
in quality to the average plantation product,
and is delivered i n sheets.
I f sales, which now exceed 1,000 tons a
month, are maintained at their present level, the
rubber exports of the Congo w i l l show a further increase in 1944. These results have been
made possible thanks to the strenuous efforts of
the stout-hearted producers of the labor front
to beat their own records.
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