East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-01-07
nY cARL w. AcKERMAN.

! Omitted Press Staff Correspondent) }
BERLIN. Jan. As the 1915.
twelvemonth closes the German cam
paign spreads to more foreign lands
to Turkey and Egypt Many enor-
nous battles and campaigns in 1915
have decided the war in certain war
theaters.
In the Russian campaign the Rus
sian army was pushed into Russia
Serbia has been entirely submerged
Belgium is occupied. Eight OF
Frances richest provinces, with near
ly three million people are under Ger
man control
Germany has lost most Of her col
onies and her overseas commerce. But
between the central powers and the
allies there has been no decisive bat
tie, no deciding campaign.
Both sides await with equal confi-
dence ana determination this contest,
Whether IT Will be fought or avoided,
no one knows. Events will decide.
The fate Of Belgium depends upon
the outcome. If the war is a draw,
Belgiums future will depend upon
the peace terms
Peace today depends upon the solu-
tion Of the Belgian question Until
England and Germany come to an
understanding on Relgiums future
the war will continue These state
ments have been made so often that
the United Press asked the censor to
pass this article TO tell the outside
world what everyone here talks
about
, During the last few weeks two
things became evident England de-
. clared that she will not make peace
. until Belgium is evacuated Germany
is determined that Belgium will not
be given up until Germany is assur-
ed that it will not be political or
. military ally Of Great Britain's
For several weeks, ] have asked
! high officials what Germany is going
to do with Belgium. The answer has
been that not even the kaiser knows.
This undoubtedly Is true. Much
seems to depend upon the future pro-
- gress of the war
3 In Germany there are two parties
with regard to Belgium. one wishes
s to keep Belgium. The other wants
to give It up. The line is not distinct
q " drawn, Many think Germany
4 should keep Antwerp and the forts
o. of Namur and Liege, or that Germany
% should have the right 20 garrison
: those fortresses Others believe Ger
4 many should keep Antwerp as an out.
t let to the channel for Germany 9th
ers wish Germany TO keep all Of Bel.
gium. but this is considered "a minor
ity.
4, There is a general feeling that Bel
n gium should never be permitted To re
a turn to the position she held before
II the war 1t is felt that Belgium wa
y not neutral because of the doeumenL
Il found in Brusselsshowing informa
Il discussions of conventions hetweeI
. Belgium and England about landin'
troops in Belgium in case of viola
ton of its neutrality by Germany
which Germany considers, in effect
treaties The universal opinion seem'
TO be that Germany viii not give W
Belgium while there is a probability
, ~ renewal of these conventions
The fear exists that England may il
z the future use Belgium to defeat Ger
u many.
Germany considers that she holds
within her hands the terms Of peace
and that she has won the war--so fal
as the war and 1915 is concerned. /
is asserted however. that throusl
English control of news channels
p what are considered victories here
q reach the world as defeats or 1
not as defeats. as indications tina
Germany is weakening. This breed'
concern I'm Germany that when d
comes peace making time the allie'
s. win cause any peace terms to he in
, terpreted as German defeats, espec
\ tally If Germany shows a willingness
TO evacuate Belgium It is said her'
: that the allies will declare that Ger
: many is defeated or she would nevei
give up Belgium. Many German'
\ want to keep Belgium because they
II think Il will be interpreted as evi
4 denee that Germany mas Won th'
II war.
II Many things are interpreted as ev
idence that Germany intends or doe
II not intend to keep Belgium. one Il
II that Germany never would have spen
II the millions of marks for bridges, new
Il railroads. public buildings and othe
H improvements, If she wasn't going Il