New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-14
Not a Fortunate Exhibit for Ger
many.

n bad conscience viii grasp at to cover over ts
had faith. The authorities at Berlin have taken
,n. trouble 60 send to this country by wireless An
abstract Of q report said to have been found In
Antxerp In the archives Of the Belgian General
staff According to that document, negotiations
war;. conducted In 1905 between Lieutenant Colonel
Bsrnsrdiston, the British military attache at Brus
ss,s and the Belgian General STAFF for the dis
match Of British expeditonary army to Belgium
in certain contingencies
Tbe f,rst clash over Morocco, between Germany
on the one hand and France and Great Britan
on the other. had occurred in 1905 and in June OF
that yea. Germany had forced the resignation or
NJ. pelcasse, the French Minister of Foreign Az
fairs, and had compelled France to approve the
idea of holding an international conference. Ihere
was grave danger Of war throughout these nego-
tiations Germany, taking advantage or RussiaS
exhaustion after the war with japan, showed
disnostion 10 rattle the sword in the scabbard"
and thereby dictate the policy OF Europe 1t was
natural that Belgium should have been alarmed
ar the prospect of an attack by Germany on
France and should have sought 10 get definite
nromise of help from Great Britain in case her
neutrality should be violated.
We can see nothing irregular or dishonoraole
in the compact discussed IN the document discov-
cred at Antwerp since Great Britain was pledged
bv treaty TO do everything possible to maintain
Belgiun's neutrality and independence. But our
good friend Of the taats-Zeituns" who himself
has been Bernhardiized to the extent Of consider
ing all treaties and all pledges Of honor among
nations as only so many scraps Of paper" indig-
nantly seizes upon the British promise to help
Belgium according to contract as piece of char
acterist,c British perfdy." Under the caption
"perfdious Albion" Herr Rdder wrote IN yester-
davis issue Of lis newspaper:
That England used the violston Of Belgium's
neutrality by Germany only as pretext Tor par
ticpating in the was clear to every one VINO
recognized this war as contest between the bri,-
jsh pretensions to world sovereignty and Germany
desire for place in the sun Ihe developniensn or
history and the pressure Of facts exposed as hollow
phrsses all the sonorous British protestations ABOUT
the defence of the weaker against the strong ana
about the sacredneSS OF treaIleS 4NoW tS
and perfdy of England are established by doeu-
The agreement reported by wireless from Ber-
linl proves that England already then I'm
1901 prepared to join in a war against Germany,
without in the least concerning herself ABOUT eH-
sting treaties or about Belgiums neutrality II is
always the same perfdious England. Even the BEL
gians are already beginning to curse her
It Is natural for the apolosists for Germanys
bad faith toward Belgium to try to smear with the
same tar stick the other nations which joined
with Prussia in signing the Belgian treaty OF
reutrslisation. Even Mr.. Rider who is on record
as holding that treaties terminate themselves when
their provisions become inconvenient or onerous
would sxult II he could prove that Great Britain
and Germany were in the same box in their treat
ment of Belgium. Yet the use which he and tho
German government make Of the document found
in Antwerp does not in the least help their case
On tho contrary, It Injuries it.
Unfortunately for them, unfortunately for Bel
GUM ana unfortunately for the development Of q
higher sense Of honor in international dealings
Germany cannot unearth among the archives u
sny Belgian ministry a document as creditable t.
her a. the promise which Great Britain made ir
1904 10 Belgium is to Great Britain. It would bs
oleasant to think that Germany realizing AT
STRONGLY as Great Britain did her obligations Il
protect d power whose neutrality and indepen
dance Prussia had Joined IN guaranteeing, had pu,
into writing promise to the Brussels government
TO furnish 100000 troops to cooperate with the
Beldsu army In case Belgum's territory should be
overrun by an invader,
In the face Of such additional pledge Ger
many might have hesitated much longer before
committing the manifold crimes against the limo
cent people OF Belgium of which she now stands
cuilty. The Kaiser might have been spurred into
saving his own honor and that of Germany. i,
wa. his duty TO attack the first foreign foe to VIC
late Belgian soil, even though that foe wore a
Germap uniform. He should have waived his title
IA German Kaiser rather than consent 10 an order
of invasion which smirched Prussas honor.
IL il pitiful defence of Germanys attitude
which produces testimonial to Great Britains
loyalty to treaty pledges and sets beside it a
criminal breach Of Prussia's treaty pledges Such
mn apology Is worse than no apology. ii the Ger
man authorities find In Brussels or Antwerp any