The Belgian Meaning of Rexism

Enormous Catholic Support
Degrelle, The Fearless Purger, Hated By His "Victims"
Was the Rexist manifestation in Brussels last Sunday a success or a failure?
The van Zeeland Government succeeded in disturbing the grandiose plans of the young Rexist leader, Degrelle, and in formally imprisoning him for a few hours. Public order was maintained.
On the other hand, it is stated that Rexism made many converts on Sunday, and Degrelle prophecies his own return to power within a short time.
Onr correspondent in Belgium gives below his own experiences in sounding the Belgian mind and analyses the present political situa tion.
GUARDED SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH
From Our Special Correspondent I have been to Rex Offices more than once and talked with the staff there, asking them bluntly whether they were really Catholics, real Catholics, pious Catholics, Church.;going Catholics. Their l spontaneous. answer shook the room, acla standing upright, rising from his seat, rending the air with the earnestness of their affirmation of fidelity to the Faith!
They admitted that as .a Movement Rexism is no longer a Catholic movenzentl as such—all thinkers are now invited—but that does not affect them as a majority nor takes away the Catholic spirit and intent from the Rex Movement; Jesuit Support I hate put the question to classes of
youths at the Jesuit College. Although now they have been enjoined to place a sourdine on their enthusiasm they were unanimous in their fervour for Rexism, replyintthat they were all staunchly Rexist.
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They rreptitiously displayed from out their copy books Rexist propaganda blotters.
An old bearded professor of mathematics,, whenever he lectures, hangs up his coat on the peg in such manner that the inside pocket lies exposed with a copy of Rex's latest edition in view of all the class. The boys cheer. The professor just winks knowingly, and carries on.
I have spoken in Brussels with a few students fresh from their first, week in .Louvain University--all Rexists, with certain provisos arising out of the fact that they wish to• quabfy their views.
One told me a good story of a priest with whom he had travelled, who got red in the face asserting his attachment to Rexism.
What do instances like these signify?•
The Disrupted Catholic Party
Rex is the common enemy for the Socialists and for the Liberals.
Belgium is a Catholic nation. Belgian Catholics, in the incoherence of the mome t, are legitimately perplexed, so split, or the time being, is the Catholic party into varying factions of language and social conditions.
The Belgian Catholic bloc has just come into being, and some time must elapse before it can get into effective action.
Meanwhile Rex holds the field, wages vigoroes warfare against all that is inimical to Catholic interests, and rallies the sympathies of a mass of the Belgian Catholics.
if, then, Rexism is the bugbear of Communists, of Socialists and Liberals. one wonders whether it is a movement calculated to safeguard Catholic interests, and whether it is of such structure as to provide a bulwark against anarchy so nzenacingly imminent.
What, in fact, is a Catholic Thai which urged Degrelle to found his movertent can be rapidly summarised from his C do as due to the staleness of the politic 1 Catholic Party, its inertia, its lack of unity, being divided against itself, Democrats, Conservatives, Flemings, Walloons, Middle Classes and Agriculturists—all at
variance. Then the rivalry and quarrels between its leaders, and the endless polemics in and between the Party press. Stalpess and emptiness of programme arising out of the fact that Catholic electors voted Catholic from religious motives.
Alluding to the confusion existing in the minds, of the mass of people as regards distinguishing between politics and religion, Degrelle pertinently asks: " What, in fact, is a Catholic? Is he a man who does his Easter duty, or is he a man who votes for such a list at the elections?"
Then, referring to the Catholic Party, he says:
" Unpopular, unorganised, undisciplined, without unity, without programme, without inspiration, the Catholic Party could not continue to live indefinitely on the labour of others, on the work of the Church and on its works. The Catholic Party had become incapable of fulfilling its mission. It could no longer be the impregnable fortress
essential. And further, it risked in its fall to crush the Tabernacle it was deemed to shield."
What manner of man, then, is this chief of Rexism?
He is a smart elegant youth in the early thirties, brilliant orator, possessing a personal magnetism—the secret of much of his s ccess—and bubbling over with what he hiniself facetiously styles " Rex-Appeal." He is endowed with a rare physical courage, iind has had the extraordinary luck to corm through many dangerous and violent attacks against his person unscathed.
He has an impelling power of invective and vituperation, and scourges unmercifully Those ministers and politicians whose complicity in politico-financial scandals he unearths and denounces with the unerring skill and directness of what he feels to be his inspired mission.
Cleaning Up a Mess
Opinion in Catholic religious circles may be somewhat divided in regard to Degrelle.
With unexampled vigour and tenacity he carried out his campaign and purged the Catholic Political Party from the stain of corrupt practices and profits by ousting many of them from their parliamentary position and ministerial office such as had been proved unworthy members. He then extended his activity to the members of thc Liberal and Socialist parties.
It is not surprising, therefore, that Degrelle is hated and detested by his " victims" and by their pet partisans. His enemies are accordingly in every camp, be it Socialist, Liberal, or Catholic.
A Catholic newspaper known to hold no sympathy for the Rexists recently wrote: " If Rex wins the day, it is most likely a Regime of order and of authority that will prevail, whereas if Moscow wins, it will mean the triumph of disorder and of anarchy."
Minister Emile Vandervelde presiding last Sunday at an Extraordinary Congress of the Belgian Workmen's Party (P.O.B.) held at Brussels stated that Fascism menaces the whole world, that the present Government must be supported if one does not wish to be the plaything of what he termed the "Belgian National Hitlerian Party " known as Rexism.
Treating the dilemma of the moment, viz., " Rex or Moscow " he asserted: "Had I to choose between the two I would say 'Let it rather be Communism!'" An Extremely Important Man
The Belgian Communists, alive to the fact that Minister Sisaak had not quoted them as enemies, have concluded that he would accept their collaboration, and accordingly have addressed an open letter to him laying down the terms of their cooperation.
The terms called for " the suppression of mobilisations preparatory to Civil War which Rex is organising under the name of ' Meetings or Concentrations for the cleaning up of these elements from the Government Administration offices and from the army.'" From the foregoing it is clear that Degrelle and his Rexist Party is now an element that counts in Belgium.
It is to be noted that the Flemish Nationalists formed part of the Catholic Party. Also that Degrelle has modified his programme, being no longer exclusively Catholic but embracing partisans who though not Catholic in creed or politics are partisans of law and order.
Not a Dictator
Degrelle strenuously repudiates the accusation of his detractors that his aim is to become a Dictator.
The country was convulsed with consternation last week on learning that Prime Minister Van Zeeland had prohibited the Rexists to hold a mass meeting in Brussels.
It is held by the highest authorities that this measure edicted by the Chief of the Coalition Cabinet is unconstitutional.
The Liberal official organ stigmatised Van Zeeland's act as the setting up of a " Dictature "!
In a " National Manifesto against the Dictature " Degrelle announced :
" Under pressure of a camouflaged Marxist front. and brought to bay by the Alliance Rex-Flemish Nationalists, which henceforth groups together all the healthy forces of the country, the Van Zeeland Government in a supreme last gasp, has recourse to violating constitutional liberty."
Degrelle's arrest in the streets of Brussels was an act that augurs ill for the good of Belgium. Nor is the end in sight. The enemy stands expectant at the gate. Those who would defend that gate cannot, for they are not united.
And those who shall pay the price are the Catholics!
Degrelle's Plans Speaking to a meeting of 600 Rexists on Tuesday, Degrelle said: " I demand of the Government permission to organise another meeting. At that meeting we shall have 400,000 supporters. Later, the whole country."