During the week an astonishing strike has been proceeding in
Belgium. The whole of the working classes have been called out by their leaders, and a very large number have responded to the appeal for a national suspension of work. Since, however, the movement is not pushed to the point of actual starvation, it must be described rather as an armed demonstration than war. The object of the Labour leaders is to put an end to the Belgian electoral system designed to give a prerogative vote to the well-to-do classes. At present the Premier, who has a Parliamentary majority, insists that the Government will not give in time of strike what it refused when merely threatened by a strike. Hitherto the attitude of the men seems to have been calm and dignified, but unless a compromise is soon arranged it is difficult to see how disorder will be avoided. If the strike is successful it is, we should think, not unlikely to be imitated in other Continental countries, as, for example, Germany, where the Constitution appears to be democratic, but is, in fact, oligarchic or autocratic.
