The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-20
The SECRET Documents Found ut
Brussels.

The secret documents rOuuU w
Brussels.
Or. DERNBuRa presents with his Gus
tomary skill. in another part Of The
SUN this morning. the evidence upon
which Germany so largely relies for the
justification Of the outrage committed
BY her upon Belgium's neutrality and
national life. We have both the text OF
the so-called secret treaties said to
have been found In the archives Of the
Belgian General STAFF after the German
occupation of Brussels and the inter
probation put upon the documents by
the Kaiser's ingenious Spokesman In
this country.
The existence " the secret papers
discovered in Belgium has long been
heralded and public curiosity on AL
sides has awaited with some eagerness
the appearance of the exact text. THE
Sun publishes the documents, together
with Dr. DrRNBrRG's gloss. as matter OF
prime news importance and interest
not 10y any means as vindiration ~
Germany's proceedings with regard 10
Belgium. An examination of The 'se-
cret PAPERS reveals something which
br. DLRNRuRG may possibly not have
discovered. ana which. a. we under
sand the case. radically affects the sig.
niiicanre of the documents in question.
pr DERNBURG says:
sony the promp, action az Tiage that
rut this important railway centre COM
handing the railway connections to France
and Germany into German hands pre-
vented the English landing and invading
belgium"
1.-THE guilt o, the Belgian Government
CD in this matter consists in making
and concerning plans with the English and
French Governments as to what steps to
take in case " war"
while Belgium pretended neutrality
and friendship toward Germany. IL was
secretly planning for her defeat I'm a war
Tho Imperial Chancellor has declared
that there was irrefutable proof that II
Germany did not march through Belgium
her enemies would. This proof, as now
being produced, In Of the strongest charac-
ter So tho Chancellor was right in ap
pealing 10 the law Of necessity. although
he had to regret that It violated inter-
national law
A rough summary Of the Belgian
papers now made public might easily,
without dishonest intent on the part Of
the compiler. give the impression that
as far back as 1906 there was a coma.
Dental understanding between the Bel
gian General sta n and the British land
also with the French) military authori-
ties for concerted action in the event
Of European war for Joint mobiliza-
ton: for the prompt employment Of the
Belgian railways TO introduce English
snd perhaps French troops into Belgian
territory. and for the general conduct
Of a cooperative movement against Ger
many. This would mean n secret plan,
Relgium's crime as DR.. DERNBURG
sails it. to prostitute her neutrality to
british invasion in order 10 anticipate
n possible violation ~ neutrality from
the German frontier.
The same idea might he produced in
an impartial mind by a hasty or not
very critical reading Of the documents
now published: particularly Of Major
General DrCARME's confidential report
10 rhe Belgian Minister Of War in 1906,
concerning conference with the Brit
ish military attache n Brussels.
There is, however. buried in the text
Of this confidential report one sentence
which does not seem 70 have impressed
Ur. DERNBURG greatly, We quote /,
now, In italics:
Tie Lieutenant Colonel RArNARprs.
ton proceeded in the following sense (:
The landing Of the English troops would
take place A. tho French coast in the
vic!nhv ~ Dunkirt and Calais 40 rs TO
hasten their moN-neu's as much as pos
sble NNo1f,p ~ INC Ed0lish IN Bcioipm
uouid only take place dit'r ne rioldiiot
Of our neutrdIitu b. G'rmuuu \ iaudlne
N Antwerp wou,d AXE much more time.
because larger transports would he needed
and because, o. the othel hand the safety
whuid he less complete
Int