Iditarod pioneer., 1915-05-08
MORE ABOUT BELGIAN NEUTRAll7
(Tacoma Ledger


 Dr. John ". Burgess one of the ables- defenders of Germany in the United States aware that the invasion of Belgium b, the German armies has profoundly affected American opinion undertakes to show thal Germany never signed treaty guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium, and that more over, conditions have so changed since the treaty was made that Belgium no longei has right to be considered an especially neutral nation He maintains that Bel, gium afterward became a world power, the population of that country increasing to el, most 9,000,0 900, and Belgium coming to con- trol colonies inhabited by 15,000,0O0 men. Besides, Belgium organized an army of 100000 men and constructed great fortif- cations.
 So Dr. Burgess is doubtful whether, in view of the changed conditions Belgium considered anything but an ordinary neu- tral nation not at war.
 The quntuple treaty of l839 guarantee ing the neutrality of Belgium, was signed by Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia and Russia. Modern Germany was not yet in existence A few days afterwsrd the German Confederation, of which Prussia md Austria were members, ratified the treaty. The German Confederation was dissolved by the war between Prussia and Austria in 1866 and then the North Ger man Union was formed Did these changes weaken the treaty of 1889 and render 8 new guarantee advisable In 1870, when wcr broke out between France and the North German Union, Great Britain signed en agreement with each of those countries guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium dur ing the war and for twelve months there after. Great Britain agreed to join with France if the North German Union at tackled through Belgium, and agreed On the other hand to join with the North German Union if France invaded Belgium
 Professor Burgess concludes that Great Britain was doubtful as to the continuing effect of the treaty of 1889, otherwise she would not have sought new guarantees at the outbreak of the war of 1870
 But in the treaties of 1870 on the neu traGty of Belgium. which the North Ger man Union and France both signed, it was set forth that the Independence and neu 1 traEty of Belgium, so far as the high con u IdCtllS pdI tIeS al IcSpeCl4NeIy COllCSlueGl will continue to rest as heretofore on the first article of the quintuple treaty of 18th of April, 1S39." Quoting this paragraph o the treaties of 1870, the New York Times finds that Prussia in signing it, acknowl edged she had been bound and should bt bound in the future by the treaty of 1889 and that Professor Burgess contention tha the guarantees of the 1859 treaty had be come obsolete is not well founded.
 It is plain enough that Great Britain had fear in 1870 that either France or th' North German Union would violate tht treaty of 1S39 By inducing each of then | to make a new agreement and giving then both notice that if either violated the neu tralty of Belgium, Great Britain would fight, Great Britain further sought to pro tect her own interests, which called for thu neutrality of Belgium.
 1 Germany does not resort to the argu ment used by Professor Burgess whicl seems rather far fetched The German chaI cellor, addressing the reichstag August of last year, said: "We are now in ste of necessity, and necessity knows no r; | Our troops have occupied Luxembourg d perhaps are already on Belgian soil. a, tlemen, that is contrary to the dlctateoi international law" Further along hend that France stood ready to invade Beldn, and Germany was compelled to movfst in order to protect the right flank eilst