The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-07


| lines it is said: Noncomhatants may
sympathy for Germany by citizens OF
! this country had been rendered for
ever impossible by Belgium and the
+ Lusltania,' to quote him literally. |
have heard this statement many times
and have always remained silent But
at this time, ii seems to me, II may
| be possible to suggest that there are
two sides, even TO Belgium
80 far as the German Belgian
question is concerned, the facts are
! simple. Germany was admittedly
, signatory of the treaty which guaran-
! teed the neutrality of Belgium. But
| the German view is that Belgium her
self was quite as much bound by that
| treaty, as were the signatories bound
| to guarantee it
Fortified Only Against Germany.
THE German view is that Belgium
| did not observe neutrality, violations
| of neutrality having occurred long be-
fore the outbreak of the war These
| violations were several. There was
the matter of frontier forts facing
| Germany. There were no fortiflCations
! built on the French frontier. Ant
| werp became a fortified city. The
treaty specifically prohibited the for
| titication Of Antwerp. And then there
was the Belgian standing army,
highly trained. efficient body of troops.
whose skill and efficiency and bravery
no one better than the German SOL
diers can praise.
| Should a country whose neutrality
has been guaranteed maintain armed
forces. whose whole reason for being
was anticipation of a violation of neu-
trality by only one Of the guarantors?
The German view IS that such an ac-
ton Is unneutral
The German government came into
possession OF documentary evidence
that Belgium was negotiating d secret
fagreement with Great Britain months
prior to the beginning of the war.
These proofs appear in every white and
q. blue and yellow book that any OF the
allied nations have published. Tho
British contention is that the docu-
ments whose authenticity they do not
dispute, do not constitute a breach
of neutrality. The British contention
calmly assumes that Belgium was Jus
tihed by after events in distrusting
the bona fldss of Germany The Ger
man contention Is that even If this
engaging in secret arrangement by
Belgium with a country which every
one knew sooner or later must come TO
grips with Germany was not a breach
OF neutrality, IL certainly invited ex-
actly what happened To attempt to
Justify this secret plotting against Ger
many on the grounds that after events
proved the need Of 1t, seems 20 the
German mind false reasoning,
Engaged In secret Plotting.
rs IL not more nearly accurate 10
say that any computations Germany
would otherwise have had were dis
sipated by the knowledge that Belgium
had engaged in this secret plotting7
Germany so regards II.
Germany feels sure that had there
been no secret agreement with Great
Britain. bv which Belgium could rely
on British aid in resisting the passage
of German troops through her terri
tory. Belgium would never have offer
ed resistance, but would have followed
exactly the same course adopted by
| Greece. without an England at her
back, Belgium gould have realized
that resistance to Germany was futile,
Who will say that anything except a
similar realization has driven King
Constantine into submitting to the
passage Of allied troops through his
country
Germany originally had no intention
OF occupying any part OF Belgium
permanently. Pledges TO this effect
were offered Belgium on the outbreak
of the war. She met them with armed
| resistance.
Resistance Undid Plans.
No one in Germany VINO is at all
well-informed will deny that 1t was
this resistance which undid the origi-
nal plans OF the German general staff,
which prevented the originally planned
speedy conquest of France. II 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 there
arose for time in Germany de-
. maud that Belgium be retained per-
manently by Germany. Those who
know history remember here that Ma
poleon had called Antwerp A pistol
pointed atYthe heart of England And
!, for time these Counsels prevailed,
| and permanent occupation of the Bel
gian territory won. in the face OF
armed resistance, was planned by the
! German authorities,
But recently n much shrewder
plan has been developed. To restore
| Belgium to the Belgians, in the Ger
. man opinion, would be the greatest
) political achievement possible 1t must
be understood In order To appreciate
the value Of the plan fully, that there
Is in Germany--as in every one of the
; belligerent countries--an honest de-
sire among the people for an end OF
hostiiities.
: Would Remove Cause.
, ITO all demands that Germany have
$ put forth for peace there has been
I mt ont irrafIfahla argument that ouch