Distress in Belgium
Belgium is discovering—what every liberated country will experi- ence in greater degree or less—that the evils of German occupation do not end with the occupation itself. The first joy of release is inevitably succeeded by a reaction when the people find that their country, sucked dry by the enemy, with all its transport thrown out of gear by military destruction, is for the moment even less adequately provided with food and other necessaries than it was when the enemy was in control. M. Pierlot's Government is in a position as difficult as any administration could be called on to face. It has to begin to function when all the agencies of Govern- ment are disorganised or non-existent. It is held responsible for supplies of food when the food within the country is hopelessly in- sufficient and when there are no means of transporting it from with- out. The warring armies on the frontiers demand, and must have, priority in transport. M. Pierlot is having political difficulties with the party leaders in his coalition, and especially with the Com- munists, who are pressing demands on him. The source of these difficulties lies in the country's distress, and most of all in respect of food and fuel. There are limits to what can be done by the civil affairs branch of Allied headquarters. The time has surely come when U.N.R.R.A., organised to deal with just such a situation as is arising in Belgium, should be getting to work to ease the economic burden which the Belgian Government is not yet able tc shoulder without Allied help. We have foreseen that the transition stage in Europe would be full of hardships and perils. It is proving to be so. Stocks of food and materials are not enough. The key to the problem in Belgium, as in France, is transport. It is satis- factory that in that respect the Allied military authorities have undertaken to lend some help
