The Washington herald., 1915-08-31
"War Easier Than Neutrality
Grey's Reply, Germans Charge
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Holwegs Answer to Statement
of British Foreign Secretary Gives Development of
Negotiations Before Struggle Opened.

Berlin, via Sayville wireless. Aug. 30
The Trans-Ocean News Bureau today Is
sued a summary of an official reply tc
the recent statement OF Sir Edward
Grey, British secretary of foreign ar
fairs, in reference to the speech OF Chan
cellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg at the
opening of the last session of the Reich
stag The reply in full was published
by the North German Gazette. The
summary follows:
"At the beginning the reply mentions
the fact that Sir Edward Grey diplomati.
cally ignored the valuable material con-
tained in the reports OF the Belgian min
listers at foreign capitals before the
opening Of the war. published recently II,
Germany. but again treats exclusively
the question OF Belgian neutrality. The
chancellor said that Belgium had sold
her neutrality to England. but asserted
and this is proved by documents-that
Belgium fostered the British military
plans. thus violating her neutrality.
Agreed to Landing.
THE reply continues with the asser-
ton that the discussion OF all possiblll-
ties by British and Belgian military Off
GERS must have been reported to the
British cabinet. Documents found in
Brussels show conclusively that a Brit
ish military attache cody told his Bel
gian colleagues that Great Britain
would land troops in Belgium without
the consent of Belgium, TO which Bel
gium never protested, having resolved
not to resist British violation of Belgian
neutrality On the other hand, on ~
mere suppostion of a possible German
invasion, the Belgian government made
all its plans for cooperation win the
British forces. Such a country. the re-
nlv declares is not a neutral country.
"Documents also show that the British
general staff received, reviewed and dis
cussed important reports of attaches
stationed at Brussels.
Disresarded Treaty.
THE counsellor did not try to reveal
facts that would justify violation OF Bel
gian neutrality on August 4, 1914. ana
stated his reasons in his ReichstaG
speech. declaring that German troops had
invaded Belgium after the latter had al
ready broken its own neutrality.
Besides. the moral excitement over
the viola ton of a seventy-five year old
treaty, made for an entirely different
purpose, is ridiculous for a country which
had unconcernedly disregarded prom
Use solemnly given twenty-five years ago
to all Europe and which continually
supported French violations of the obli-
cations accepted in 1911 concerning
Morocco.
The statement made by the chancellor
that Sir Edward Grey had said to Prince
German ambassador to
London. as they were parting after the
of the war. that 1t might be
possible that England could be of more
a assistance to Germany at the termination
of hostilities by participating in the con-
flict than by remaining neutral, is then
taken up by the reply. The Gazette
states that Sir Edward Grey denied
of this remark.
Grey Moved at Meeting.
THE text of the memorandum of Prince
part in the interview in
question says:
Sir Edward Grey sent word that he
would like to speak to me at his home
before my departure, to bid me farewell.
He also said he had a confidential COM
to make. that possibly might
be valuable in the future.
L answered that in view of the turn
affairs had taken, it would be painful for
me to meet him again. but that 1 would
yield to his request as I did not wish to