1936 On the Continent

affairs. But we must admit that they don’t take very energetic steps to obtain equal rights. There is some talk of granting the vote to women for the next elections. This promise has been made many times before, but has not been carried out yet.”
    Executive power is in the hands of Ministers chosen from the various political parties, according to the importance of the latter. There are not many political parties in Belgium. Two very important ones—the Catholic party (conservative tendencies) and the Socialist party (democratic)—who together represent more than three-quarters of the voting public. Beside these we have the Liberal party (reactionary) and the Communists.
    Although in principle the Parliament should represent the opinion of the voting public, it would be dangerous to say that it reflects public opinion accurately. This is due to several reasons, the first of which is that the public generally votes for a party as a whole, and not for any particular candidate, with the result that members of one party often represent widely divergent views in Parliament, and often, too, once a member is elected, he evolves rapidly; his political outlook changes swiftly from extremism to a more moderate tempo. This happens everywhere, of course, and our chief grievance against our Parliament is that it is too busy with things of little import and hasn’t the time to settle more vital matters—peace, unemployment, depression, etc.
The Standard of Living
    Our last government, whose premier was M. Van Zeeland, made a great effort. The World Exhibition, the devaluation of the Belgian franc, and a policy of public works have done a great deal towards diminishing the number of the unemployed. These still total 200,000, which is excessive for a little country like ours. On the other hand, those who work are ill paid, and Belgium is certainly one of the countries in Europe where the standard of living is at its lowest.
    Brussels and a few other big towns have a certain air of prosperity. But you mustn’t be taken in by this: it is only superficial prosperity. Many households have to exist on a salary of less than 1,000 francs (£6 or £7) a month, and in certain parts of the country, in the Borinage for instance, which is the coal-mining district, the workers are reduced to terrible poverty.
    Yet there is no revolt, no upheaval. The Socialists themselves take an active part in this government, and keep their followers comforted with the promise of better times to come. Let us hope they are coming.
    “It was very kind of you to trouble to tell me all this. It’s much more interesting than I should have thought. It will help me to see your people with more understanding. And now, tell me what we are going to see in Brussels.”
Seeing Brussels
    “A thousand things, Muriel. We’ll start with the Market Place. Its buildings cannot be described—they must be seen. It has often been said that the Market Square should be kept under glass—so perfect is the whole. The Town Hall is famous. It is in the fifteenth-century Gothic style, with hosts of sculptured ornaments that must be seen at leisure, and a 114 metres high tower, crested with the statue of St. Michael—the patron saint of the city—slaying the dragon. This tower is a delicate tracery of stone, so finely carved that it looks like lace. It is curious to note that the tower has not been built in the exact centre of the edifice. Legend again has it that the architect in his despair hanged himself.”
    All around the Market Square are the old Guild Houses.
    A few yards away there is the charming and indecent little statue of Manneken-Pis, which is often taken to represent the special Brussels brand of humour. This bronze statue was raised in the seventeenth century, and history relates that it was erected by a rich merchant of the town, who, having lost his son, found him at that very spot and exactly as he is represented. The statue represents a little naked boy, but often he is dressed up, because he has a vast number of suits of all kinds, given by various societies. Some regiments of the army have even endowed him with a uniform.
    You must visit the admirable cathedral—the Collegiale Ste. Gudule—and the exquisite Church of the Sablon.
    The Law Courts should be seen too, or rather visited, because it would be difficult indeed not to see them, since their great mass overlooks the town. It is the largest palace in Europe; it covers an area of 52,000 square