Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-16


equilibrium Of Europe. Economically,
says NJ. Nothomb, Belgian Is for each
lcountry the point of exchange OF riches.
eis 81 null
| tarily barrier. Intellectually cross
roads"
1t was impossible to suppress the
country. because the system of the oc
| cident would have been overthrow
| and because the people defended itself
despite the Spanish, and then the Aus
| trian domination.
| At the moment the HapsburE- Lor-
raine found the Netherlands in their
| heritage the latter
Nibbline at the was q nation di-
Netherlands. m min nss..-,. moral, s,
successive treaties. not pared down, but
dismembefed. The Brabant. which
i hourished formerly as far as the Meuse
stopped henceforth on an arbitrary line
north of Antwerp Flanders extended
naturally to the scheIdt. its necessary
limit; to close the Scheldt to Hollands
commerce, strangle her in a country
without a port, the shore WAS taken in
its entire length. Henceforth, accord
ing to Henri Pirenne. The Catholic
Netherlands, common ground for all ma
tons and the markets of the world
was nothing more than q miserable
blind alley and an impasse without is
sue"
The empire occupied Maestr1cht and
a series of villages on the right bank OF
the Meuse. From it's constitution in
1901 the kingdom of Prussia, buttressed
on the Rhine. already pressed the Bel
gian frontiers. In I'LL the elector
los he
bailiwick of Erkelena. The city pro
tested but was lost militarily by Bel
GUM. The King of Prussia exacted still
more. By the treaties of 1913 he caused
seven-tenths Of the Gueldra to be given
up, all the northern loop, and an
tnexed the area to his kingdom. And the
second loop. that of Nedercruchten, en-
barrassed him still. He profited by the
been organised against France. to In
stall there Holland, who occupied from
| IT'S the Belgian fortresses of Stephens
woert and Montfort, not far from tho
Mouse.
After the installation of the Haps-
burg Prussia usurped the principally
Of Ovostfrise in 1744 and in concert
with Bavaria encroached upon the Bel
gians possessions of Kerpan and LON
mersum. In 1874, when the reunion of
Belgium and Holland was proclaimed.
1 Europe decided to cede the territory be-
tween the Mouse and the Rhine TO
; Prussia The latter coveted the left
bank of the Rhine for in that situation
Il Prussia could hold Belgium at her
mercy and for that purpose take from
her all that was solid. substantial,
natural in her secular limits, that is TO
lsay, pare of those parts in equa!izing
them. As Prussia governed provision
ally the territories not yet attributed on
the west she would have full sway.
having the means in hand to realize her
wishes.
II By patent dated April 5. 1878.
Prussia took possession Of all that In
Luxembourg extended
The Question of north of the Moselle'
the valley of the Our,
Luxemourg. The final act of the
Iconsress of Vienna detached. to her
profit, the ancient department OF the
iourthe, that admirable central salient
which dominated the whole country
The cantons of Bitbourg, Dudeldorf,
Neuerbourg, Arzfeld. Saint-Vith, Gro
nenbourg Schleyden. Malmady and
lNeau (Eupen) were also taken from
belgium, and by the same act the two
salients of Rolduc and Nedsrcruchten
were annexed to Prussia.
The right bank Of the Moselle. which
belonged to Belgium along the Luxem-
} burg frontier. was sohd orluse
head" as far as the Sarre. The fcti-
ltious grand duchy of Luxembourg, which
had been created on paper. was de-
spoiled with method and was ceded 10
i Austria with other territories south OF
the Moselle. BY the protocol dated
November 4, 1915. Prussia occupied the
lSarre and replaced Austria in the
/ Netherlands. In 1916 Prussia occupied
Il Rolduc and took from Luxembourg the
village of Oberbillig and declared neu-
trail the rich and important territory OF
Moresnet. attributed by treaties to
Belgium.
4 In 1894 Belgium separated from Hol-
land and was defeated by the latter
in a short and disastrous campaign.
i Prussia suggested to King William to
claim as the price of his victory Lux
emburg, where the Germanic confed-
GRAFTON had placed Prussian garrison
and the Belgian nations protested
Prussia proposed the division of Lux
emburg in two parts, one OF no mill
tary value to go to Belgium. Belgium
| at first refused to accept the proposed
Acknowledgement, but finally assented
| Her protectors asked her to play an
| international role which, in the eyes
| of nations. is the reason of her exist
ence, and consciously, magnifcentiy
| confident in her destinies. Belgium sac
rificed herself to the peace of the
world. Never had a young state given
such an example of painful and heroic
maturity. According to NJ Pierre
! Northomb "it was in 1914 that Prussia
commenced the crime of 1914"
NJ. Carton de Wharf, minister Of jus
tice of the Belgian government. speak
| ing at a meeting OF
The Spirit Of the Geographic So
vercingetoux. ' ~,r'y the .1 c,t~ Of c sn
| mont-Ferrand / have read on the ped
| estal of the statue of Vercingetorix
these words. which are the reply OF
the Gaulois hero to Caesar. L have
| taken arms for the liberty of ALL
Faithful to her destiny and her glory.
France, as she appears to US Belgians.
her sword in air. serenity in her eyes.
| proud and resolute today as the first
| day, France defends truly the liberty
| of all, the liberty of nations and the
| liberty of individuals.
What is a nation? In a celebrated
definition Renan replied: 1t is a soul
| made of two things-one in the past.
which is the possession in common of
| rich souvenirs; the other in the pres
| ent, which is the will to continue TO
| show the value in common the heritage
which was received undivided"
he r. Tot Hxf D@l-