The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-08-13
Interesting Facts
About Liege
(Orlando Reporter-Star,D J

is the theater of war in Europe. A
native Of Liege who is now Il citi-
zen Of Orange county, Mr.. j.. A,
Brialmont, has furnished the Re-
porterStar with a statement of con
ditions both interesting and instruc-
tive, as follows:
The German peopre are good peo-
pie and do not want war; neither
do the French or Belgians But Of
fetal Germany does want it, and
Austria hungary is the firebrand of
Europe on account OF her ambition,
later frustrated, to go to Salonica on
the Aegean sea. Hence the killing
of the archduke of Austria was a
preteXt only, and the cause of this
war must to be found in other mo-
tivcs with the consent of Germany
given beforehand to support Austria
| have been in Florida twenty
four years, but was born at lie9c,
Belgium, and served five years as
non-commissioncd officer in the en-
gineerS there and at Antwerp. So |
am we'll acquainted with the town
in public light, and the whole coun-
try besides, knowing well tho geo
graphy and history of the other
countries involved also and the
mood OF their people
In 1870 Belgium kept neutral, and
was not bothered by anybody be-
cause there was no need Of either
French or German crossing it. After
this war, France had no physical
frontier on the east Of military
value left, and consequently she
builded the four fortified camps of
Nerdin, Toul, Epinal and Belfort in
a chain between Luxembourg and the
Swiss frontiers, several miles from
the new frontier of Germany, and as
a defense line only.
The late Belgium general, Brial
mont, a military engineer and writ
er of world reputc and inspector of
the Notifications there, expressed the
opinion. shared by everybody there,
that in case of a new war between
France and Germany, the latter
country would violate the neutrality
of Belgium for stratcsical reasons in
order to avoid the wall of forts at
the east frontier of France and not
to have to bcsiege towns at the out
set
On the other hand France has al
ways considered Belgium as q buff
fer state and her neutrality an as
set in favor of France, when the
Germans invaded Belgium and try
to explain it away thcy sitter 4 false
hood pure and simple. In short
Germany lies. I have predicted for
thirty years that this would happen.
Now to revert After 1870 there
was only Antwerp in BeI2ium forti-
fed Following the advice Of Brial-
mont (the general not MYSELF Bel
gium fortified Licge and Namur in
order TO stay or repeal an invader
from the east and connecting with
the Disc valley in France is the
shortest way to Paris for the Ger
mans
70 he correct must state that
belgium between two powerful
has no choice. They have
repcllcd the Germans and would have
rcpcllcd the French in the same way
if the French had crossed first, but
as have said they knew the French
would never cross first. Bolgium's
plan always has been to be-
come the ally of any beIligerent that
has respected its boundaries, and in
this case 1t Is France.
The Germans in their candor
thought that they would cross with
out trouble; that the Belgians would
make a feeble resistance, and even
permit them to do so, but Belgium
was conquered IS b. c., by Julius
Caesar. and this general in his com
wrote: "The Bclgians are
one of the bravest people Of GauI.
Now we come to psychology The
Belgians would have fought against
any first invader. In this case they
are Germans. The part of Belgium
now invaded by Germany IS the
abode of the "Walloons," speaking
French and in fact of Latin stock
This part comprises half Of the coun-
try, the other half being Flemish or
Dutch stock, but all united. But [
must say that they are thanking God
that the Germans came first. They
would 6uhf Franco nc invadarr buf