The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-05
Blame FOB VAR
Placed UPON
ENGLAND
German Newspaper Says Sir
{ Edward Grey Could Have
Prevented Conflict.

BERLIN, by wireless to Sayyille,
N. Y, Sept. THE North German
Gazette publishes ma Official reply to
the recent statement by Sir Edward
Grey. the, British secretary for for
eign affairs, with. relation to the
speech of Chancellor Won Bethmann-
Hollweg. at Reichstag. The Over
seas News Agency today summarizes
the reply in the Gazette as follows:
At the beginning the article al
ludes to the fact that Sir Edward
Grey diplomatically ignored the val
liable material contained In reports
from Belgian ministers at various
European capitals prior to the war
recently published in Germany, but
goes e1haustively into the subjects of
threats against Belgian neutrality
The chancellor never said that Bel
giumsold her neutrality. to England,
but asserted that It had been proved
by documents that Belgium had fos-
tered British military plans, thus her
self violating her neutrality.
The article points out that the dis
cussion Of all eventnalities OF British
and Belgian military officers must
have been reported o.the British cab
met. Documents found in Brussels,
1t Is asserted, show conclusively that
a British military attache cody told
his Belgian colleague that Great Brit
ain would land troops in Belgium
without Belgians protested against
this. having decided not to resist a
British violation Of Belgian neutral-
ity; but that upon the mere, suppo-
sition that a German invasion was
possible the Belgian government pre-
pared complete plans for cooperation
with British forces. Such a country,
1t is declared. is not neutral coun-
try.
Other documents found, the reply
continues, show that the British gem
eral stan received, reviewed and dis
cussed important reports Of attaches
stationed at Brussels.
Says Belgium Offened First.
The chancellor, 1t 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 Reichstas
speech. declaring that German troops
invaded Belgium after the latter had
already broken her own neutrality.
Besides. 1t is added, the excite.
ment over the morals Of a violation
of twenty-five year old treaty made
for entirely different purposes was
ridiculous for country which I'M
concernedly disregarded promise
solemnly given twenty-five years ago
to all Europe and which continuous
ly supported French violations Of the
obligations accepted in 1911 regard.
ing Morocco" ,
The test of the memorandum IN
which Prince Lichnowsky, 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 that
he would liket o speak to me at his
home; before my departure and bid
me farewell; also that he had con-
fidential communication to make
that possibly would be valuable in the
future. I answered that in view of
the turn affairs had taken It would
be painful for me to meet him again.
bet would yield to his request, as ]
did not wish to miss an opportunity
that might possibly be important to
the future Of both nations. s'
Sir Edward Grey was visibly NOV
ed as he greeted me. He said the de-
cision he had been obliged to take was
the gravest Of his entire life and that
the deciding consideration was that
participation in the war would IN
jure England little more than a pas