Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-08-31
.GERMANYCHARGES
ENGLISH PLAN To
INVADE BELGIUM
North German Gazette Publish
es Official Reply to Recent
Comments of Sir Edward
Grey on Speech in ReiChStag

,-Ule1 The North German Gazette
aublishes an official reply to the re-
cent statement by Sir Edward Grey
M British secretary for foreign af-
fairs with relation To the speech OF
chancellor Won Bethmaun-IIollweg at
M opening of the last session of the
reichstag. The Overseas News agency
today summarizes the reply In the
Gazette as follows:
"At the beginning the article al
Indies to the fact that Sir Edward
GREY automatically ignored the vail
uable material contained in reports
from Belgian ministers at various
european capitals prior to the war,
recently published in Germany but
ooes exhaustively into the subject of
threats against Belgian neutrality The
chancellor never said that Belgium
solid her neutrality to England, but
asserted that it had been proved by
documents that Belgium has fostered
British military plans, thus herself
violating her neutrality.
Brltains Knew Plans.
"The article points out that the dis
cussion Of all eventualities by Brit
ish and Belgian military officers must
have been reported to the British cab
met Documents found in Brussels,
IL * asserted show conclusively that
Il British military attache coolly told
his Belgian colleague that Great Brit
min would land troops in Belgium
without Belgiums consent and that
Belgium never had protested against
this having decided not to resist
British violation of Belgian neutral
ity. but that upon the mere supposi-
ton that a German invasion was pos
slble the Belgian government pre-
pared complete plans for co-opera-
ton with British forces. Such a
country. it is declared, is not a neu-
tran country.
Other documents found, the reply
continues. show that the British gen
eral staff received, reviewed and dis
cussed important reports of attaches
stationed at Brussels
Belgium Broke Neutrality.
"Tba chancellor, it is added did
not endeavor to. bring to light facts
that would justify a violation of Bel
gian neutrality IN August, 1914, and
stated the reason in his reichstag
speech. declaring that German troops
invaded Belgium after the latter had
already broken her own neutrality.
Besides. il is added the excite
ment over The l5orals of violation of
"a seventy five-year-o treaty made
for entirely different purposes was
ridiculous for a country which nm
conoernedly disregarded a promise
soemnly given twenty years ago
to all Europe and which continuously
supported French violations of the
obligations accepted in 1911 regard
ing Morocco
The Overseas News agency here
takes up the assertion by Sir Won
Bethmann- Hollweg in his recent
reichstag speech that Sir Edward Grey
had said to the German Ambassador
as he was taking leave of him after
the outbreak Of the war, that it might
be possible that England could be
Of more assistance to Germany at the
wars close by entering the conflict
than if she had remained neutral. II
notes the Gazette's assertion that Sir
Edward Grey had denied having made
such remarks as the German chancel-
Tor in his reichstag address had in
terpreted as meaning that Sir Ed
ward would be able to aid Germany
against Russia.
Russian Diplomat Quoted.
The text of the memorandum in
which Prince LichnowskN the Ger
man ambassador at London recorded
the part in question of his Interview
with the British secretary for foreign
affairs is reproduced from the news
paper by the Overseas News agency
as follows:
Sir Edward Grey sent word tina
he would like to speak to me at hp
home before my departure and bid me
farewell also, that ne had a conf
dential communication to make tina
possibly would be valuable in the flu
ture / answered that in view of thu
turn affairs had taken 1t would BE-
painful for me TO meet him again
but would yield to his request, as
did not wish to miss an opportunity
that might possibly be important t
the future of both nations.
Sir Edward Grey was visibly moyeC
as he greeted me"
He said the decision he had beer
obliged TO take was the gravest o
his entire life and that the decidinl
consideration was that participation 4
the war would injure England litt
more than a passive course, moreoVe
that England as a participating pow
en- would be in a better position Z
throw her influence into the balane
than by remaining neutral, becaus
She would be able at any time Z
threaten to withdraw from the con
flict
Britain Violated Treaties
The violation of recognized inter
national treaties guaranteed by Eng
land. he said. made it impossbl
for her to stand aside. Also he re
garded 1t as inexpedient to conside
the suggestion Of the imperial chan
cellor establishing conditions 10
Great Britain's neutrality From IN
British standpoint such a transactio
Impressed him as improper and h
could not enter into negotiations wit
power that could make such prepa
rations
As in former interviews he lai
chief stress upon the Belgian questio
without adding as ne did in his speee
In the house Of commons, that Ems