New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-21
Motives of Berlin Diplo-
macy Attacked in Paper
Signed by 1870.
GRIEVANCE CALLED
FOILED AMBITION
Professors in Fatherland Say
That Militarism Has Saved
Their Civilization.
fBy Cable TO Tn. Tribune.

London, Oct. 21.-British men Of
science and professors in all branches
of learning at the universities have
combined to frame a reply to the Ger
man professors who recently de-
nounced Great Britain as the insti-
gator of war. This reply sets out
painstakingly the evidence of official
documents TO prove Great Britain's de-
sire for peace. Among the more strik-
ing passages are the following:
zone point we freely admit. Ger
many very likely would have preferred
not to fight Great Britain at this mo-
ment. She would have preferred TO
weaken and humiliate Russia, to make
Servia a dependent Of Austria, to rem
der France innocuous and Belgium
subservient, and then, having estab-
lished an overwhelming advantage, TO
settle accounts with Great Britain.
Her grievance against US is that we
did not allow her to do this.
"Great Britain, together with
France, Russia, Prussia and Austria,
had solemnly guaranteed the neu-
trality of Belgium. In the preservation
of this neutrality our deepest senti-
ments and our most vital interests are
alike involved. Its violations would
not only shstter the independence OF
Belgium itself. but it would under
mine the whole basis which renders
possible the neutrality of any state
and the very existence of such states
as are much weaker than their neigh
/ bors. We acted in 1914 just as we
/ acted in 1870. We sought from both
/ France and Germany assurance thai
/ they would respect Belgian neutrality
/ I'm 1870 both powers assured US OF
their good intentions and both kept
/ their promises. In 1914 France gave
immediately--on July 31-the required
assurance. Germany refused to an
swer.
"When after this sinister silence Ger
many proceeded TO break under oul
| ewes the treaty which we and she had
[ both signed, evidently expecting Great
/ Britain TO be her timid accompllce
then even TO the most peace-lovnG
Englishman hesitation became i'm
possible. Belgium had appealed 10
Great Britain to keep her word and
she kept it
"The German professors appear TO
think that Germany has in this matter
some considerable body of sympa-
| thizers in the universities OF Great
/ Britain. They are gravely mistaken
Never within our lifetime hes this
country been so united on any great
political issue. We ourselves have real
and deep admiration for German schol-
arship and science. We have many
/ ties with Germany, ties of comrade'
ship, of respect and of affection. We
grieve profoundly that under the bale
| full influence of a military system and
/ its lawless dreams of conquest she
whom we once honored now stands re-
/ vealed as the common enemy of Eu-
rope and Of all peoples which respect
the laws of nations. We must carry
on the war which we have entered for
us as we'll as for Belgium. II is q
var Of defence, waged for liberty and
'eace."
The manifesto has about 1870 sigma
lures, including those of the most ia
nous men of learning in England, IN
GLIDING Sir Thomas Barlow, Sir James
/ Crichton- Brown. Sir William Crookes
Sir Sidney Lee, Sir Donald MacAlister
vice -chancellor of the University o.
/ Glasgow; Baron Moulton. Sir Hubert
Parry, Bart; Sir Edward L. Pointer
president of the Royal Academy OF
Arts; Sir Arthur Quiller-C Couch, Cam.
/ bridge; Lord Rayleigh, Lord Reay, Sil
Ernest Satow, second British delegate
to the Hague Peace Conference in 1907;
| Professor Arthur Schuster, Professor
Z. A. Sonnenschein, Sir Oliver Lodge
and Sir William Ramsayi
A statement of Germany's case i'd
dressed "to the civilized world" and
signed by many eminent German scien-
fists, professors and authors, contains
denials of several charges that have
been made against the diplomacy and
military performances Of their coun-
try. These denials include answers TO
the charge that Germany brought on
the war, and refer to Belgian atroei-
ties, the destruction Of Louvsin and
German respect for international laws
The manifesto contains the follow
ing with respect to Belgium:
at is not true that we trespassed In
neutral Belgium. 1t has been proved
that France and England had resolved
on such trespass, and il has likewise
been proved that Belgium had agreed
to their doing so. 1t would have been
suicide on our part not TO have been
beforehand
at is not true that the life and
property of single Belgian citizen
was injured by our soldiers without
the bitterest solf-defence having made
/ IL for aOaip apd anal IN