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Show BIG STRIKE IS COMPLETE Belgian Government Is Facing a Crisis-State Crisis-State Railroads Running Run-ning Short of Coal 400,000 Workers Are Out Brussels. Belgium, April 16. A statement made by the ministry of the interior this morning admits "that 257,000 men have joined th national na-tional strike of the Belgian workers who have chosK-n this means of fore- I In. the grant of manhood .suffrage.'! and the abolition of the system i v.hiih wealthy citizens are given plural voting power The Socialist leaders todav claimed thai the lotal number of Ulkoi is over 4 On. 000. It is stated that the Belgian government gov-ernment finds itault with a very small supply of coal to run the slate rail- i roads This supply is likely to h exhausted by the end of the week, thus crippling transport facilities. Lack of fuel will also cause the stoppage ot many electric and cas plant.- ainl pre ,-nt man tlm -a lid non-strikers from working. Em1le Vandervelde. the Socialist leader today completed a tour of the provinces of llalnaut and Namur. He summed up his observations as fol- IU s . All business Is stagnated throughout the Industrial district Of the 2f8.-. j 000 workmen in the two provinces, j 162,000 are striking. Will Injure Exhibition. Ghent. Belgium, April 16. One of i the most serious results of the So-1 j ria list strike throughout Belgium will I be its effect on the international ex-, j bibition which the king is to open 1 here next week. The mayor Ghent I said today : "I have grave fears that the strike; I will seriously Injure the exhibition i Sixty per cent of the British exhlb-1 j itors have decided lo retire from par-I par-I tJdpation and 30 per cent of tho French exhibitors have followed their, ! example I hear also that Amerl- , can exhibitors are hesitating ' The civil guards today dispersed , 60t strikers who were alleged to be i threatening an attack on a wire fac-tory fac-tory here. Strike Is Spreading. Liege. Belgium, April 16 Tho strike is spreading here. The Social-1st Social-1st policy, it now appears, was not to show the full strength of Ihe move-men! move-men! during the first few days, but j to let the stoppage of industry he pro-Igressive. pro-Igressive. Several hundred more machinists ma-chinists employed at the national arm? factory came out toduy. Excitement is beginning to make Itself evident A number of arrests ! were made this morning of persons 'accused of Interfering with those who were willing to work Join the Strikers. Huy. Belgium, April 16 The strike i Is spreading among the paper makers mak-ers and tin plate worker-t ol this district, dis-trict, many of whom laid down their tools today Block Up Shafts. Namur. Belgium. April 16. Strikers today blocked up 16 shafts of (he potash pot-ash mine near here by pushing in tho hoisting cranes and all the outside equipment. Fear at Antwerp Antwerp. Belgium. April lb, The number of strikers at this seaport reached 17 000 today There seems no inclination on the pari of other workmen work-men to join the movement. Cannot Fill Orders I'.ruges. I U l;;iuui VprH 16 - 'I he manufacturers of this district have posted notices calling attention to the Impossibility of filling the orders they have on band, us their workmen arw to strike Troops Tear Down Posters. La Louvlere. Belgium. April 16 The lroop in thl6 city were busy this morning tearing down anti-military posters put up in the night Each squad of soldiers was surrounded by 8 group of strikers who mocked them The municipal street cleaners today to-day joined the strike, which is nearly complete In this district. |