The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-23
THOSE SECRET PAPERS.
How the Production OF Germany's "E'i.
ticnce' strikes the impartial Mind.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SrN--Sr: I
have been brought into close contact
with many German men OF science or
letters and of business. and I have so
high regard for their attainments that
have been hoping that Germany may be
able TO show that she had some Justili-
cation for her invasion Of Belgium. l
have suspended judgment until I could
see the text of the confidential papers
said to have been captured at Brussels
These papers were published. with COM
mentary by Dr. Bernhard Dernburg, In
yesterdays Sun.
am afraid ] can suspend Judgment
no longer The papers disclose only the
fact that Belgium had guessed some time
ago that Germany, In case OF war with
France, might invade her territory. and
had laid plans with England as to what
should be done II II happened. There
Is no suggestion in them that Belgium
ever had a thought OF doing anything but
protect her own territory, yet according
to Or. Dernburg II was wilful ana
wicked for Belgium to guess in advance
that Germany might possibly do precisely
what Germany did and II was wilful and
wicked for Belgium to take counsel with
her friends as to how to protect herself
when the expected thing happened and
/. was wllful and wicked for Belgium to
neglect to take Germany into her conf
dence and to make plans with her TO
defend herself against her friends. from
whom she had nothing to fear. n fore
sight in anticipating coming events and
adequate preparation to meet them are
highly commendable and an evidence OF
kultur In the case of Germany. why Ia 1t
wilful and wicked in the case OF Bel
GUM?
The memorandum. written presumably
in 1912. seems 10 indicate an intention on
the part OF England to rush TO Bel
GUMS assistance in case OF invasion by
Germany. whether Belgium asked for as
sistance or not. How Germans can md
! In this episode anything to blame Bel
gum for ! do not know, because the
memorandum distinctly states that Bel
gium did not consent to tho proposal, but
insisted that nobody not even her friend.
had n right TO send unlimited troops into
( her country.
1t is quite true that a country has tho
! right TO repudate It's treaty obligations
as our Supreme Court has said This is
due TO the fact that treaties are simply
gentlemen's agreements. with pow,r re-
siding nowhere to enforce them. But II
one gentleman. in this case Germany,
enters into an agreement with others not
| TO use his feet in case OF fight, and
one Of the other gentlemen. in this case
France. relying upon the agreement, neg
| lects to protect his shins. In this case its
/ Belgian frontier. the gentleman who uses
his feet when the fight occurs should not
he surprised II other gentlemen have
: their opinion OF him
But the most amusing OF all the COM
/ plants catalogued by Or. Dernburg is
this:
! The Belgian people had been told at the
| beginning OF the war that Germany de-
marded that tn. Belgian force should f-ht
with the Germans against the French and
/ the English
/ Dr. Deruburg unfortunately omits 20
/ explain what conceivable right Germany
/ had TO demand" that Belgium do any
| thing. and least OF all 10 demand that
she fight on the side OF the invaders I,
But after all, 10 include this refusal
| in the catalogue OF Belgium's crimes
against Germany is only little more funny
/ than to complain because Belgium had
discovered In advance Germany's inten-
! ton 10 violate her soil and had made
plans 20 protect herself against such vio-
lafion
II our German friends have lost their
power Of logical reasoning II is pity
they have not preserved enough OF their
sense OF humor TO prevent such a display
of arrogance in the sight of people whose
sympathies they are trying 10 enlist.
| NEW YORK, December 81 b.