The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-31
Is Agreed Upon by Allies and
TeutOn Powers.
As GERMANY SEES SITUATION
Kaiser Doesn't Know What to
Do With Belgium.
Central Powers Review Sees
TeutOns Leading in Warfare.
BY CARL w. ACKERMAN.

BY CARL w. ACh EISMAN,
Berlin. Dec 31.-As the 1915
twelvemonth draws to a close the Ger
man campaign spreads to more for
eign lands: to Turkey and Egypt
Many enormous battles and campaigns
in 1915 have decided the war in GER
tain war theaters.
In the Russian campaign the Rus
sian army was pushed into Russia.
Serbia has been entirely submerged
Belgium is occupied. Eight of
Frances richest provinces, with near
ly three million people, are under Ger
man control.
Germany has lost most of her COL
onleS and her overseas commerce. But
between the central powers and the
allies there has been no decisive bat
tie, no deciding campaign.
Both sides await with equal conf
dence and determination this contest.
whether it will be fought or avoided,
no one knows. Events will decide
The fate of Belgium depends upon the
outcome. If the war is a draw Bel
GUMS future will depend upon the
peace terms.
ton of the Belgian question. Until
England and Germany come to an
understanding on Belgiums future
the war will continue. These state
ments have been made so often that
the United Press asked the censor to
pass this article to tell the outside
world what every one here talks about
During the last few weeks two
things became evident. England de-
clared that she will not make peace
until Belgium is evacuated. Germany
is determined that Belgium will not
be given up until Germany is assured
that it will not be political or mill
tary ally of Great Britain's
For several weeks 1 have asked
high officials what Germany is going
to do with Belgium The answer has
been that not even the Kaiser knows.
This undoub tedly is true. Much seems
to depend upon the future progress of
the war.
In Germany there are two parties
with regard to Belgium. One wishes
to keep Belgium. The other wants to
give it up. The line is not distinctly
drawn. Many think Germany should
keep Antwerp and the forts of Namur
and Liege, or that Germany should
have the right to garrison those fort
resses. Othes believe Germany should
keep Antwerp as an outlet to the chan
mel for Germany. Others wish Ger
many to keep all of Belgium, but this
is considered a minority.
There is a general feeling that Bel
gum should never be permitted to re-
turn to the position she held before
the war 1t is felt that Belgium was
not neutral because of the documents
found in Brussels showing informal
discussions of conventions between
Belgium and England about landing
British troops in Belgium in case of a
violation of its neutrality by Germany,
which Germany considers, in effect
treaties. The universal opinion seems
to be that Germany will not give ND
Belgium while there is a probability
of a renewal of these conventions
The fear exists that England NAV in
the future use Belgium to defeat Ger
many.
Germany considers that she holds
within her hands the terms of peace
and that she has won the war-so far
as the war of 1915 is concerned. 1t is |
asserted, however, that through Eng |
lish control of news channels, what |
are considered victories here reach the |
world as defeats. Or. if not as defeats |
as indications that Germany is weak |
ening- This breeds concern in Ger !
many that when it comes peace maxi |
ing time the allies will cause any peace !
terms to be interpreted as German de- |
feats, especially if Germany shows a /
to evacuate Belgium. 1t is |
said here that the allies will declare
that Germany is defeated or she would |
never give up Belgium. Many Ger
mans want to keep Belgium because |
they think it will be the best evidence
that Germany has won the war.
Many things are interpreted as evil
dence that Germany intends or does
not intend to keep Belgium. One is
that Germany never would have spent |
the millions of marks for bridges, new
improvements, if she wasn't going to
keep Belgium. A large government
printing establishment has been erect
ed in Brussels. A wealthy German
count, reported to be a friend of the
kaiser'S, has erected a large neWspa-
per office there.
On the other hand it is declared |
Germany could not keep Belgium
without giving the people representa-
ton in the Reichstag and one official
said that would be impossible because
we could never have so many French
speaking members of our parliament"
Alsace and Lorraine are nos consid-
cred similar. Less than one-seventh
Of that territory is inhabited by peo-
pie of French origin. In Belgium
there are practically no Germans
The whole of Germany, therefore,
looks to the kaiser to decide what |
Germanys final position shall be with
regard to Belgium. The constitution
provides that the kaiser shall make |
the terms of peace. When the kaiser
does decide his lead Will be followed