The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-04
THE SECRET PAPERS"
We give space to n Dissenting View OF
Their Significance.

To THE EDITOR OF tue SuN--Sir: When
Richelieu said that he could bring any
man TO the block on the evidence OF
scrap of handwriting he laid down
doctrine which evidently has actuated Mr..
Maurice Low and THE SUN to convict
Germany Of bad faith toward Belgium.
But your plea is rather subtle for home
consumption. Dlsregarding. for the sake
of argument, your statement that al
though the German Government has not
published the proof which It claims to
have had OF Belgium's secret plan to
cooperate with France and England
against Germany. the existence of such
proof having been asserted by the Chan
ccilor and the Foreign Secretary. Won
Jagow. is IL not possible. nay, highly
probable, that IL had all the necessary
Information through secret channels To
convince u Of the existence OF such an
understanding?
II may be that this information was not
in the form OF a regular document, ana
again It may be that 1t leaked out through
indisCreet disclosures on the part OF the
Belgian Minister at Berlin. Baron
, Greindl The fact that the assertion by
the German Chancellor Of such an un-
, Outstanding or agreement has been fullN
substantiatcd by the secret documents
found in the War Office at Brussels goes
far to confirm the belief that the German
Government was well advised what her
/ enemies were about. II Is presumably
not regarded as timely or expedent TO
reveal the original source OF this informa-
ton and how it came into possession or
the Berlin Government
You attach great Importance to the
| statement that the secret documents prove
| that THE plans of the Allies to enter
| Belgium with the connivance or coopcr1-
/ ton Of Belgium were expressly made CON
tingent upon the prior entrance OF GER
many upon the eastern frontier IT you
| hold. a. YOU seem, that this CONCLUSION
| cNonerates the Allies. you certainly are
! more anxious 20 discover an apology lot
! Belgium than Belgiaus themselves.
/ why did not the Belgian Government
! since II pretended To- be neutral. concert
| a similar plan with Germany, which was
! equally entitled with France and England
/ to the condolences OF the Bclgiau Govern
| mcnt as q party to Belgiums neutrality?
! why did Belgium discuss plans OF mill
1 tary cooperation with England against
Germany, and not with Germany against
the other sgnatories to the guaranty OF
| neutrality"
Because sho had more 10 fear from
! Germany than. from France or England
| YOU saw That contention. however. -
| not supported by the facts better
| Judge than THE SUN. whatever its
acumen may be. Of the true conditions IS
| the Belgian Minister to Berlin Baron
| Greindi offered strenuous objections
against one SIDED military arrangement
| with the enemies Of Germany and among
| the secret documents given out by Dr
| Dcrubu~g is confidential report III
| which the Belgian Minister at Berlin I'M
dualihally stigmatzes such an agreement
az an abuse Of the neutral relations OF
Belgium toward Germany, besides point
Ing out the danger or an invasion a.
Belgium by Franco and England. lie
said in his report. dated Berlin. December
% 1911, addressing his Government;
From the French side danger threatens
not only IA the south 81 Luxembourg. II
threatens VI, on our entire Joint frontier
We have positive evidence o. H.
Evidently the project Of an outnankins
movement from the north forms part OF
tho scheme Of the Entente Cori'alc.
Their aim was to transport an
English garrison, unhindered to Antwerp
which means 20 establish In our country a
basis OF operation for an offensive In the
direction Of the lower Rhine and West
phalla, and then 20 make VS. throw our Io'
in With them Colonel Bsrnardis-
tons announcements at the time OF tho con
clusion OF the Entente Cordiaie which
were jus; as perndous as they were naiv"
have shown Us plainly the true meaning OF
things This British army al
Calais and Dunk!rk would by no means
! march along our frontier 20 LnrEwy In order
70 reach Germany. Il would directly invade
Belgium rrosi the northwest. That would
| give II the advantage of being able n hcsir
operations Immediately. TO encounter th'
! Belgian army m n region where We cou'
| not depend on our fortress In case W.
| wanted 20 risk a battle.
This. It seems 10 me, completely dis
poses OF your intimation that there WA
no Justification for anticipating AL in
yaslon Of Belgium by France and Eng
land. since 1t appears that one Of Bel
gums leading diplomats shares Ger
mauy's we'll grounded msgvinRs OF tn
Intentions Of her enemies, intentions nov
FUZZY proved by the secret documents II
m. case. A X.
NEW YORK, December 30