TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1915-04-06
BELGIAN NEUTRALITY NOT VI
0LATEp-sHAw.
pritish Writer Dsclsrss Germany Was
Forced to Act Promptly in
Self Defense.
France ana England Guilty.
Secret Agreement Found in Brussels
Completely Exposed Great Britain's
hypocrisy in the War.


Neutrality is utter Irumbug. That il
my position. There is no such thing
as breach OF neutrality, because tiiers
is no such thing as neutrality.
The Importance OF bringing this sim.
pie natural fact home at present arses
from three considerations:
first.-The danger OF obscuring the
real issues Of the war by the false Issue
OF the neutrality of Belgium.
Second.-The danger that, instead OF
real terms Of peace fictitious terms ia
the form OF fresh guarantees of neu.
trality may be accepted as valid.
Third. - The general objection to
throwing stones when you live in a
glass house and are allied to eastern
powers whose whole history is huge
cucumber franc.
Belgian Mentality Not
Violated.
Ihosc who insist that neutrality Is
real and is sacred are committed By the
facts to the following propositions.
First.--t;ermany has not violated Bel.
lian neutrality. She has made war
en- Belgium, which her guarantee of
Delgium's neutrality in no way abro-
gated her right to do, and her guar.
antee Of Belsium's neutrality stiIl stands
IN spite OF the war and actually entities
der to treat q violation OF II by another
power as q casts belli.
Second.--France and England have
violated the neutrality o! Belgium by
invading her and fighting on her soil.
though they are not at war with her
Third Germany offered to keep the
peace with Belgium on condition
that Of a right OF way-which Britain
was the iirst 70 demand and TO enforce
by war in China.
Fourth. Britain and France refused
to respect Belgian neutrality except on
a condition whech they knew would not
be fulfilled and which in any case Bel
sium could not control--nenieiy, that
Germany would keep the peace with
Belgium.
Fiith.-csrmany offered peace in Bel.
GUM.
slxth.-.Britain ordered war perenlp.
toiily.
/ defy any international Jurist TO put
n creditable complexion on these prop.
osi,ions except by showing that they
are reduetio ad absurdum oil the the
ory Of neutrality and admitting that
Belgium might as well have been FREQ
as neutralized one for al the
use the guarantee proved.
British Hypocrisy Exposed.
And il is because ! was not duped by
that theory that have set myself from
the first TO discredit tile Belgian pre-
teNt Tor war and to induce our minis
lers and newspapers TO drop IL. i did
80 even before the document found ia
iirussels by the Germans left the for.
.ign office so completely bowlsd out on
the Belgian point by the German chan
,ellor that il had not word 10 say.
Why did Germany make war on Bel
giuml Because she was afraid TO de-
ay her rush on Paris by attacking
France through Lorraine and Alsaee.
Why did she attack Francel Because
,he was terrified by the Russian mobi-
iEotion and was afraid that France
souid strike her from behind when she
vas attacked by Russia.
Why did We attack Germany Be.
,ause we we're afraid Of her growing
naval strength and believed that she
would BE- irresistible IL she conquered
Russia and France and thus left ns
Without effective allies. Frightened ami
mails are dangerous, and man Is no sx-
,eption.
Why Britain Is Fighting.
We are fighting solely to crafty our
,ugnacity and satisfy our pride--that
5, for the good OF our souls. This Is
Inc real glory Of war, but II j. impor-
ant that we should be able to stop
ahen We have had enough OF II.
Russia, Germany and Britain had tho
,ower to set up Belgium as a buffer
,tate against France and TO make
France accept the arrangement. Britain
iad tie power to maintain AfghRuistan
Is a oufier state against Russia and
Morocco as buffer state between
and any possible fortifieation
II the opposite Pillar Of Hercules by a
'ival. Franco had the power to buy
Britain out of Morocco by abandoning
Egypt to ler. neither party having tho
smallest right Of its own WIN, to be
here.
II you come to rights other than tie
light OF the sword, which is might pure
Ind simple, only the Belgians have any
nights in Belgium, and the 90 called
Of Belgium by debating her
oreign policy, or, rather, refusing to
lllow her 10 have any foreign policy
Ind then falling to save her from being
,ysrrun by Germany. have more reason
20 blush at the mention Of her nams
han 10 inyits the admiration OF ths
yorld for ,I,eir mood fnith 10 her. OF