The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-04
NEUTRAL BELGIUM.
Its status Under the Treaty OF London,
Respected I'm 1870 and violated Now
Tho Very Desir ahIc Port OF AntMcrp.


Kaiser has proposed to Belgium to guar
antee the integrity of her territory should
she exercise friendly neutrality" per-
hitting free passage to his troops and
supplies to and fro between his terri
tories and those of France. But behind
the aversion they feel toward that sort
of neutrality there is unquestionably
deep seated fear among Belgian men of
affairs that the age old German aspira-
| ton to reach the sea by way OF Ant
werp is more eager among Germans
| than ever. Antwerp Is a fortress of
great strength. 1t has an excellent
port which can be very effectually de-
Tended against sea attack as 1t Is al
ready on the land side 1t is near the
| British coast. In any other hands IL
is always a point of danger to Ger
many. In German hands II would be
danger to Germany's enemies. Bel
| gians fear that IL he could once get
hold upon 1t the temptation to keep
1t would be too strong for AIRY German
ruler to resist.
The announcement made yesterday
! in the House of Commons by Sir Ed
ward Grey regarding Belgium indicates
a radical divergence by Germany from
the old conception of guaranteed neu-
! trallty. ne beTIlldn SteIHs
to be that neutralized territory is not
| involable by belligerent neighbor in
attacking n third Power and that SO
long as the neutral's army is not at
tackled 1t may or must remain inactive
while It's soil is made the theatre of
actual war.
Belgium adheres to the idea generally
held in the past that neutralized terri
| tory. such as hers Is, Is immune from
| invasion on any ground or pretext. She
| has determined to oppose her feeble re-
sources TO any use OF her land or its
facilities for warfare in which she has
no concern or interest Naturally she
has appealed to England to aid her In
asserting her rights and repelling and
defeating the German aggression.
The naturalization of Belgium would
seem TO be as specific as treaties can
make Il, but in recent years the Bel
glan people have shown little confidence
in the efficacy Of the shield which ex-
listing treaties afford. The subject was
actively ayltated In 1910 and 1911
apropos of the fertilization OF Flushing
at the mouth OF the Scheldt and deep
pessimism was expressed in Belgium,
France and England.
Belgian neutrality dates back to the
creation of the little kingdom in 1880.
The conference OF the Powers which
met in London after its secession from
the Netherlands to settle it's status
recognized 1t in 1891 az IAN Independent
and perpetually neutral State, bound to
observe the same neutrality with refer
ence to other States" The convention
was signed by England, France, Russia.
Prussia and Austria. King William OF
Holland did not assent to the arrange
ment and It took several years to bring
him to reason. When the final settle
ment came in 1889 the treaty was re-
newed, tho same Powers solemnly CIV
ing their adhesion to 1t.
In 1870, when the war broke out be-
tween France and Prussia, there was
momentary fear that either Power
might disregard the treaty Of neutrality
for the sake of military advantage The
British Foreign Office approached both
Governments on the subject and both
consented to sign treaties pledging
themselves to hold Belgian territory
inviolable. The guarantee was honor
ably observed by both sides and the
question of Belgium's status in case of
war was never thought of again until
the Government of Holland took the
resolution of terrifying its sea coast
ment was said to have been the result OF
pressure from the Kaiser, who feared an
invasion OF Holland by England threat
ening Germany with flank attack
, The Dutch project included the con-
. struction OF forts at Flushing strong
enough to stop the navigation OF the
Scheldt in case OF war. Belgium at
once became panic stricken and the
Powers opposed to Germany opened
their eyes to a new situation.
, The basic fact in the matter Ia the
$40 miles of frontier between Belgium
0 and France which, there is every rea-
son to believe, is very feebly defended
5 on the French side. Since 1871 France
E has concentrated her efforts on erect
! ing impregnable barriers between Paris
and the German frontier and has al
most totally neglected the Belgian line,
relying on the sacredness of the treat
. les of neutrality.
l But about the same time that the
Flushing controversy arose a study OF
the western German railway systems
led to the conclusion that an incursior
into Belgian territory was embraced
I in the German programme in case OF
war with France. The multiplicity OF
] tracks leading to within few miles OF
|
yard and terminal facilities Mt border
points such as Treves and AK far ex'
ceeding the needs of commerce, looked
q omlnous
z Belgium has. OF late, entertained nc
c false hope OF preserving with her OWL
e resources her neutrality AZ a buffer
: State in case of European conflict
Though on final mobilization she car
. put from $50 900 to l700 900 men in tho
: field 1t has been realized that her force:
d are no match for German troops ir
e equipment training or morale, She has
Il steadily cast her reliance upon England
Y to preserve her peaceful status, or a
worst render Its violation Improbable
Her idea has been that British eXpedi
tionary force landing at Antwerp anC
rallying the Belgian forces as an auxil
II larry might attack the German advanc,
II into France at right angles. thus com
. polling a hasty retreat or else threat
n enening to cut off the German invading
20 army from its base of supplies
n This plan. OF course, depends for It,
n success upon the Scheldt, upon which
Antwerp Is situated being kept ope,
10 to navigation, and consequently tn
t elimination of any works at Flush nj