Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1914-11-13
49, 5eisi bies Garem GnsIiid FIRE.
nJenoen Rahbarn!
BELGIUM'S NEUTRALITY.
Only a subterfuge for England's
treachery.
(By w, Won Nostitz. }

lnere are americans VINO
think, that Germany has broken
faith in first asking the right of
passage through Belgium's neu-
trail territory, and declaring war
on Belgium, when the request
was refused.
1t would be so, if Belgium's
neutrality could have been
counted as something assured,
to be reckoned with. 1t has
been respected in 1901, like
that of Switzerland is now.
Although it would have been
just as advantageous to attack
France from that side then, as it
is now.
But at that time England was
an honest neutral. This time she
was the sly enemy Of Germany,
member and a leader of the
Entente, desiring to play arbiter
after the war, if she could keep
out of it under the mask OF a
neutral as a neutral helping Ger
many's open enemies as much
as she could. and If she chose at
an opportune time to enter
the war, she could do so after
having gained a commanding
position on land, - a position
in Germany's German flank
and in Germany's flank
in Northern France, If the Kai-
ser's troops should have gone
there, = and all that on Belgian
soil, occupying that whole ter
ritory, and thereby protecting
her own shores from her posi-
ton in the Belgian ports on the
channel.
Belgium was founded as a
sovereign state in the thirties
of the last century, after seces-
sion from the Netherlands. The
treaty STIMULATING Belgium's neu-
trality gives GreatBritain the right
to protect that neutrality with
10000 men, il considered in
danger. There are different con-
captions as to what constitutes
danger. We all see to-day. how
Japan interprets its treaty obliga-
ton to Great Britain, to help
protect her Asiatic possessions
from danger, as sufficient reason,
to remove the German danger
of Kiaotchou'',
That there really existed an
agreement between France and
Belgium to permit the passage
of French troops for an attack
on Germany, is much disputed.
But the help which French
troops have extended to Belgium
seems to prove the fact of such
an alliance. At all events,
agreement or no agreement, the
rumor OF it was on every lip.
And England, at any moment
she wanted to. could give France
the tip to start such a move
ment.
Then, unter the neutrality
treaty, England would have
landed her 10000 troops, taken
the strategic position against
Germany, previously described,
and entered the war from this
very advantageous position. Ger
many knew all that. She knew
England would play neutral, till
the British had every advantage.
and then declare war. That
England really meant to be
an enemy at al opportune time is
now proven, since she became
an open enemy, when the decision
could not be delayed. 1t was
accommodated by Germany when
she felt out the real position Of
the powers through her going
with the Panther" to Agadir.
Talk about Germany having
broken faith and a solemn treaty.
Talk about the holiness of a
sheet of paper signed so years ago,
when the dice are cast to decide
for a nation the question ito be,
Or not to be-, and that 30 years
old paper is to serve only the
enemies as a screen to make
the killing of the nation the
surer and lighter, and than to
tear that paper to shreds!
Now the enemy is an open
enemy. Germany's flanks are
free. Germany stands in the
ports of the Channel right OPP
posite of England's shores And
the strategic position in Belgium,
which Great Britain hoped to
gain as a neutral, to wage war
from there, is in the hands OF
Germany, by open warfare.
A fine scheme has been
spoiled. Should Germany have
let it succeed since she knew
of it2