SOCIALIST GRIP GROWING

Borchgrave Murder
From Our Belgian Correspondent
There are three things that stand out in the Belgian Arena for the moment; they are : —The frightful slaying of Jacques de Borchgrave in Spain; the radio broadcast from Turin by L6on Degrelle. the Rex Leader, and the comic opera attitude taken thereat by the Belgian Socialist Minister for Foreign Affairs; and. thirdly, the matter of the concentration of the Catholic forces.
They are nevertheless all three bound up in one, namely the offensive against the encroachment of Socialism and Communism in Belgium, in the Government and out of it.
The grip of Socialist power is growing here and is. manifest in every quarter. It is shown in the new regulation drafted for the retirement of the Governors of the Provinces—all traditionally Catholic posts—at an age limit of 67--a new invention designed to oust Catholic Governors and install Social
ists whilst the going is good. Then Vandervelde, Socialist Minister of Health, has thought out a new method of preventing nurses from the Catholic and private institutes of training obtaining diplomas.
Properly Accredited
The matter of Baron Jacques de Borchgrave is a very delicate one arising out of the fact that there was some doubt as to whether he was properly accredited as a member of the Embassy. It is a fact that he was engaged in Madrid in selling motor
cars and exploited a garage. But it now is clear that he was properly engaged as an official of the staff of the Embassy to assist the attache, Vicomte Berreyer, who had been left single-handed
A most singular absence from both the Requiem and the funeral was that of the Spanish Ambassador to Belgium, all the more singular because of his known assiduity in attending public functions. Nor had he taken the trouble to be represented!
Minister's Attitude
The attitude adopted by the Socialist Minister for Foreign Affairs by his dilatory prosecution of enquiries only heightened the indignation of the Belgian people.
The murder was committed on December 20 and it was not until January 7— that is after 18 days' reflection and hesitation—that this one-time revolutionary but now Socialist Minister called a Commission to make a communication.
Contrast this with his alacrity in making representations to Italy on their "unfriendly " act in allowing M. Degrelle to broadcast from Turin, the very next day after the broadcast—January 7.
Press Comments As La il/Mtropole—perhaps the soundest paper in Belgium—rightly puts it: " The Regime stands judged by this feature.
" When it is a matter of avenging the honour of the State, and when blood, the blood of a representative—de facto, at least—of Belgium has been shed, we have no Government.
" But when the politicians of the Government are stung by a bee, the State, as if touched to the quick, rolls out its thunder."
Le Peuple, the official Socialist organ, clearly makes out that if any misfortune has happened to " the son of Botchgrave " it is because he had provoked it, and goes on to state that: " Although he was a suspect in Republican circles on account of the Royalist connections of his family, he went and offered his services to the Belgian Embassy.
" It is certain that the victim exposed himself to terrible dangers. Call that heroism, if you like, but it can also be inreudedsel."