New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-20

tAplAh"-s
D, mr. BERNHARD DERNBURG.
To-day is published facsimiles of a
,.asr found among the documents Ct
kI pslgisn General staff az Brussels
,aSsrrine TO arrangements between the
R,;tisb military sttache and the Bel
risn Minister Of War regarding British
interyention in Belgium.
!, wili be remembered from the Brit
,sh White Book that in November, 1912,
.orrespondence passed between Sir
EDWARD Grey and the French Amoas-
ssdor in London. in which II was stated
.hSt British and French military and
rsvsl experts sd consulted together
iron time 10 time as 10 plans 10 be fol-
owed in case of war. and it was stated
y this corr fpondence that in accord
srce with such prearranged plans the
Fyeneh fleet would stay in the Mediter-
tsnean TO safeguard the joint interests
there. whereas the British fleet would
safeguard their interests in the north.
OF this correspondence the members
az the British Cabinet remained igno-
rant until the Cabinet meeting immedi-
s,ely preceding the written statement
bv Great Eiitsin on August that in
case German fleet attacked the
French coast or passed nto the Chan
mel. England would give all the assist
snee in her power British White
Pspers No. 14Sl. and IL was also. of
course concealed from the British pub
lie rntil the speech of Sir Edward Grey
on August g. Il will be remembered
that in consequence Of this revelation
the president Of the British Board of
Trade. Mr. John Burns. and two other
members, Lord Morley and Mr.. Trevel-
ysn, left the British C.binet under pro
test; that the leader of the British La
Dor party. Mr. Ramsey Mcdonald, re-
signed from the leadership, and that
M Arthur Ponsonby in his famous let
ter denounced Sir Edward Grey'S prac-
tees
Nh. Ponsonby said that time and
again they had been assured that there
were no obligations whatsoever on the
part o. Great Britain 20 come to
Frances assistance, and that they
found themselves now so hopelessly en-
tangled that as a matter Of fact the
British government could not back out.
Secret Understanding.
The fact Of these consultations by
which, Of course. all the plans Of
mobilization Of both the British and
French armies we're disclosed 10 the
two allies, and which included the land
ilg Of English troops in France, is now
fully established by the annexed docu-
ments They show that these con
sersations were also held with Bel
gun. that the plans had been con-
csrted to invade Belgium with an army
Of 10000 men by way Of three French
perts-viz.. Dunkirk Calais and Bou-
l9gne-snd that the British plans
even considered a landing by way Of
the Scheldt, thus violating also the
Dutch neutrality.
The documents. giving all the de-
| islls as translated and showing that
Belgian railway cars were 10 be sent 10
the named Frenc' ports in order 70
Transport the British troops into Bel
gum, are dated from 1906.
Inc Belgian Minister al Berlin,
Baron Greindl a well known Belgian
patriot, protested 70 his government.
IN II he said that 10 was not quite safe
10 trust 70 the British and French 10
Keep the Belgian neutrality, that il was
hot wise 10 take all measures only
against German infraction of Belgian
neutrality and that the British spirit
vas clearly shown By the words Of
colonel Bamardiston that the Scheldt
night be used for transp porting troops
into Belgium.
furthermore, il will be remembered
nat the BIRTHS and French govern
4 rents violently protested when the
Pans were made public that the Dutch
government intended 20 fortify the
mouth Of the Scheldt in 1906. But in
islz, when the Balkan crisis became
seute, the British went one step
luflher When Colonel Bridges, in a
conversation with General Jungblut,
.ne chief OF the Belgian General staff,
ssla that England was ready 20 strike,
nG 100000 men were ready 10 be
ahoed and that they would land them
soon as any European conflict should
steak out, General Jungblut protested
,nssl LOT such a step the permission Of
oslglum was necessary. The cool re-
~ was that the English knew il, but
lOugnt that, as Belgium was not
4 sIvhg enough alone TO protect her
sn' England would land troops. any
ny. General Jungblut answered that
..slem felt strong enough 10 protect
Ssei, which Us in keeping with her
u1IatloR TO France, when she offered
protect Belgium by five army corps,
'spetsed in the British White Book.
Plans for Joint Action.
ne position OF England was there
~ mat while in 1906 they had al
10y concerted plans for d joint ac-
\ ~, IN 1912 England intended action in
~ t.s ease, should a European confsgrs-
NV II must be recollected that as
~ ss July %, 1914, Sir Edward Grey
Fnnee Lichnowsky, as men
cs-ssto IN his communication TO Sir I.
Il t,sSneh: The situation was very
49," While u was restricted 20 the
49, AZ present actually involved, we
~ hot thought Of interfering in il.
-; y Germany became involved in IL
saa then France the issue might be so
No. 'hat y would involve all Euro
a interests, and / did not wish him
a. = misled by the friendly tone Of
4 <e... ssoaFtrsationAwhieh ] hoped would
1ssno e into thinking that we should
N a. aside. British White Papers
49,. az vas az time when the Belgian
~ mad not been raised al all. II
~ came about By Sir Edward Crews
~. written on July 81. Thus the
$3.50 ENHANCEMENT with France. as
.,.ssheed by the British White Book.
ss.,ssnted England taxing the same at
iscse ~ 1914 which she had taken in
~ when she made a treaty with
nee as against the German ;nva-
49,; Belgium, and with Germany "a
fess the French invasion of Bel
-.s = similar agreement was sug-
fs by Pfinee LichnOwsky 10 Sir
1<'@'d Grey on August /, 1914, as re