TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1914-11-24

grown out OF Its swaddIihg eiothss, ""n
arrived at the age and condition OF ma
turity and self-protection, and has pas.
sed the age when specially guaranteed
neutrality is natural.
From all these considerations, think
il extremely doubtful whether, on the
first day of August, 1914, Belgium
should have been considered as pos
sessing any other kind Of neutrality
than the ordinary neutrality enjoyed by
all States not at war, when some States
are at war. In fact, it remains to be
seen whether Belgium itself had not
forfeited the privilege Of this ordinary
neutrality before single German sol
dier had placed foot on Belgian soil.
A few days ago received letter from
one OF the most prominent professors IN
the University OF Berlin, who is also In
close contact with the Prussian Ministry
Of Education, man in whose veraeity
place perfect confidence, having known
him well for ten years. He writes; Our
violation Of the neutrality OF Belgium
was prompted in part by the fact that
we had convincing proof that there
were French soldiers already in Bel.
GUM, and that Belgium had agreed to
allow the French Army to pass over its
soil in case Of war between France and
us.n Moreover, in the British white
Paper" itself, No. l22, Is to befound a
dispatch from the British Ambassador in
Berlin, Sir E. Goschen, to Sir Edward
Grey, containing these words; 1T
appears from what he 1.-THE German
Secretary Of Foreign Affairsl said that
the German Government considers that
certain hostile acts have already been
committed by Belgium. As an instance
of this, he alleged that consignment OF
corn for Germany had been placed under
an embargo already" The date OF this
dispatch is July 81. days before the Ger.
mans entered Belgium.
But placing these two things entirely
aside, as well as the new evidence, said
TO have Just been found in the
archives at Brussels, that Belgium
had by her agreements with Great
Britain forfeited every claim TO
even ordinary neutrality in case
Of war between Germany and Great
Britain, find in the British white Pa
per" itself. No. l23. not only ample justi.
ficatiou, but absolute necessity, from q
military point of view, for q German
army advancing against France, not
only to pass through Belgium, but to
occupy Belgium. This number Of the
sWhite Paper is communication da-
ted Aug. from Sir Edward Grey to Sir
Z. Goschen. British Ambassador in Ber'
lin. In 1t Sir Edward Grey informed
Sir Z. Goschen that the German Ambas
sador in London asked him whether, u
Germany gave promise not to violate
Belgian neutrality, we, Great Britain
would remain neutral,D and that he
| (Grey) replied that he could not sa,
thatp, that he did not think Great Bri.
tain "could give promise Of neutrality
on that condition alone; further, Sin
, Edward Grey says: "The Ambassador
pressed me as to whether ! could moi
formulate conditions on which we would
remain neutral He even suggested that
the integrity Of France and her colopie'
might be guaranteed. said that felt
obliged to refuse definitely any promise
TO remain neutral on similar terms, and
| could only say that we must keep our
hands free.n
After this Sir Edward Grey declared
in Parliament according to newspaper
reports, that Great Britain stood. as te
Belgian neutrality, on the same GROUND
as in 1870. With all due respect.
cannot so understand 1t. In 1870 Gresi
Britain remained neutral in q war be
tween the North German Union and
France, and, with the North German
Union, guaranteed Belgium against in
yasion by France, and, with France, qua
ranteed Belgium against invasion by the
North German Union. On Aug. !. 1914
the German Empire asked Great Bri
tain to do virtually the same thing, and
Great Britain refused. 1t is, therefore