The Princeton union., 1914-09-17
Writes Answer to
German Charges.
STANDS SAME AS 1870
Says Germany Then Agreed to
Belgian Neutrality.

Duly gIdII ntul| dill j.
London, Sept 16-The official press
bureau announces that the following
statement is issued with the author
ity of Sir Edward Grey, secretary OF
state for foreign affairs, with regard
to the communication made by DR..
Won Bethmann-Hollweg, the imperial
German chancellor, to the press:
docs any one believe asks the
German chancellor, that England
would have interfered to protect Bel
gium freedom against France?'
THE answer is that she would un-
! questionably have done so.'
Sir Edward Grey, IS reported in
the White Paper, asked the French
| government whether it was prepared
to respect the neutrality of Belgium
ESQ long as no other power violated it.
| "The French government replied
that they were resolved to respect it.
| The assurance, it was added, had
been given several times and had
! formed the subject of conversation
between President Poincare and the
German chancellor, who entirely ig
nores the fact that England took the
same line about Belgian neutrality in
1870 that she has taken now.
I'm 1870 Prince Bismarck, when ap
| preached by England on the subject
admitted and respected the treaty oh
legations in relation to Belgium.
Explains British Position.
1.-The British government stands il
1914 as it stood in 1870. It is Herr
Won Bethmann-Hollweg who refused
to meet us in 1914, as Prince Bis
marck met us in 1870. The imperia
chancellor finds it strange that Mr.
AsQuith in his guild hall speech di(
not mention the neutrality of th'
Scandinavian countries and suggests
that the reason for the omission wal
some sinister design on England
: part.
1T is impossible for any publ
= speaker to cover the whole ground il
each speech. The German chance
> lors reference to Denmark and othe
> Scandinavian countries can hardl
> be considered very tactful with re
> gard to Denmark. The Danes are no
. likely to have forgotten the part play
. ed by Prussia and England respective
: ly in 1868 and 1854 when the kingdoI
0f r1y nd
: integrity of Norway and Sweden wa
. guaranteed by England and France i
the treaty of Stockholm in 1855.
The imperial chancellor refers t
" the dealings of Great Britain with tn
Boer republic and suggests that sh
: has been false therein to the cause {
" freedom. Without going into the col
troversies, now happily past, we ma
recall what General Botha said in tn
South African parliament few day
!, ago when expressing his cOnvictio
. of the righteousness of Great Britain
. cause and explaining the firm resolv
of the South African Union to aid he
in every possible way:
Quotes General Botha.
"'Great Britain has given them
constitution under which they cou.
create nationality and had ev'
since regarded them as a free peop
and as a sister state,' he said. "A
S though there might be many who ha
l. been hostile to the British flag in tt
e past he could vouch for it that the
g would ten times rather be under tt
y British than the German flag
n THE German chancellor is equal
b unfortunate in his reference to tt
colonial empire. So far from Britis
h policy having been trecklessly egotis
e ic, it has resulted in a great rally
n affection and common interest by g
l. the British dominions and depende
cies, among which there is not OF
r which is not aiding Great Britain
II soldiers or other contributions or bO
s in this war.
r. Z with regard to the matter of trea
r, obligations generally the Germ;
Y chancellor excuses the breach of b
r. GUMS neutrality by military nece
e Sly, DIT Tie Sduit C1luo AfohlA5 v
tue of having respected the neutrali
j. of Holland and Switzerland, and sa
n ing that it does not enter his he;
y. to touch the neutrality of the Sea
r. dinavians. A virtue which is adm
e tedly only practiced in the absence
Il temptation from self-interest and mi
h tary advantage does not seem great
worth vaunting.
j. @To the chancellor's concludi
1t statement that to the German swo
b. is entrusted the care of freedom
IN the European peoples and states t
treatment of Belgium is a suff1cie
answer"
- Armies in Close Contact. .
nj Paris, Sept. 16-The official co