Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-07

possession OF documentary evidence
that Belgium was negotiating a secret
agreement with Great Britain months
prior to the beginning of the war.
These proofs appear in every white and
blue and yellow hook that any OF the
allied nations have published The
British contention is that the docu-
mcnts. whose authenticity they do not
dispute. do not constitute a breach OF
neutrality. The British contention
calmly assumes that belgium was lus-
titled by after events in distrustiny
the bona tides of Germany The Ger
man contention is thai even if this
engaging in secret ARRANGEMENTS nv
belgium with Il country which every
one knew sooner or later must como
To- grips with Germany. was not
breach of neutrality. IL certainly in
Nted exactly what happened. TO at
tempt to Justify this secret plotting
AGAINST Germany on the grounds that
after events proved the need OF il
seems TO the German mind false rca-
Soninis
is 1t not more nearly accurate 10
say that any computations Germany
would otherwise have had were dissi-
pared Ivy the knowledge that Belgium
had engaged in this secret plottinrr
Gcrmany so regards it,
Germany feels sure that had there
been no secret agreement with Great
brltain, by which Belgium could count
on british aid III resisting the massage
or German troops through her terri
tory. Belgium would never have offered
resistance, but would have followed cy-
aCtlN the same course adopted hy
Gre"ce. Without AN England at her
back. BELGIUM would have realized
that resistance to Germany was futile
Who viii S/y that anything except a
similar realization has driven King
Constantine into submitting TO the
% nv
country"
PLEDGES MET WITH
ARMED RESISTANCE
Germany originally had no in,cn-
'ion 81 occupying any part Of Belgium
permanently. Pledges TO this cffec,
We're offered Belgium on the Outbreaks
Of the war She met them with armed
resistance.
NO one in Germany who is AT all
well-in1ormed Will deny that il was
this resistance which undid the original
plans OF the German general staff
which prevented the originally planned
speedy conquest OF France. It was
Belgium. in the German opinion, that
upset The whole course OF German arms
in The first year of war.
And out Of this knowledge tfIcrc
arose for a time In Germany Il demand
that Belgium be retained permanently
by Germany. Those who know history
remembered that NapoTcon had called
Antwerp "a pistol pointed at the heart
OF England And for Il time these.
counscls prevailed, and permanent oc-
cupation OF the Belgian territory won
in the face Of armed resistance was
planned by the German authorities
"Hut recently Il much Shrcwdcr plan
has been developed. TO restore Bel
GUM 10 the jclSianS. in the German
opinion. would he the greatest political
achievement conceivable. II must he
understood. in order to appreciate tho
value OF the plan fully, tina; there is
il i;crmanN--aS in every ON. Of The
h"liigcrcni countrics--an honest de
sir" among the people for an end Of
hoStilitics. 10 all demands that Ger
many have put forth for peace there
has been put ont the irrcfutahlc argu-
mon; that such an action would hc
construed by her enemies as Il sign Of
weakness. and would spur them on 10
rc,iuublcd efforts.
Germany cannot afford thus 10
hcartcn her foes. But il the ncgotia-
successfully, peace must follow auto
matical!y. The only alternative. ac-
c"rliu.: "a German view is for ,;roat
Hritain and France to admit that tho
cause for which Mr.. .Asquith molly de-
clared the British were tgh,inr The
restoration Of belgium, is not the caus,
at all.
with Germany and Belgium AT
peace, il might even become necessary
Tor Great britain Ia tell the truth and
admit that she is lighting to crush her
greatest commercial competitor"