The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-08
BELGIAN PEACE
WITH GERMANY
NOW PROBABLE.
Prominent Kaiser diplomat
Gives German View OF 1t.
Willing to Restore Belgium TO
BeIgians, He Says.
UPHOLpS RAID ON nation
Declares Belgium Neutrality
81 Was Only Masque.
Fortifying Antwerp and Large
Army Violation of Treaty.

Washington, Feb. S.-Renewed re-
ports that Belgium is considering con-
Guiding a separate peace with Ger
many, corroborating news to TINS Ell
feet two weeks ago, were widely dis
cussed today in diplomatic circles. j
out of this discussion there came from
an official in close touch with the
German embassy, a statement Whlch
may be taken to express authoritative
" the past. present and future attitude
of the German government regarding
relqi,tnn The viewpoint of Berlin, /
following rapidly changing develop |
ments, may be summarized as follows;
l. Before the war Germany regard
ed the treaty of Client by Whlch the
neutrality of Belgium was guaranteed
bv all the signatories as binding upon /
Belgium as upon any OF the guarah
tors.
2 Before the war Germany regard !
ed the building of frontier foruflca-
tions facing Germany the foruTylng
of Antwerp and the maintaining OF a
large standing army, all violations OF
neutrality on the part of Belgium
itself.
In Secret Alliance.
3. Before the war Germany came |
into nossession of documentary evil /
dence. since published, that proved /
that Belgium had entered into secret
agreement with Great Britain by the
terms of which Belgium could count
on British aid in the event of Ger
rnauv's violating her guarantees.
Before the war Germany reached /
sfhe conclusion that Belgium had thus
gherself abrogated the agreement IN the
Various instances cited ana that, III
view of these facts, Germany was no /
longer bound to observe a neutrality I
which was in fact not neutrality.
5. On the declaration of war as eX-
planned by the German chancellor In /
a speech which has been distorted IN :
allies countries and in the United +
States, Germany's contention was in /
effect that the invasion of France was /
quite as much a violation of previous /
X existing treaties as was the inVa- I
lions of war are violations of such I
treaties. obviously. -r !
Didn't Intend Occupation.
6. on the declaration of war Bel (
.sAufits received the pledges of Ger /
many that passage of German troops /
through her territory would not mean /
occupation of that territory with /
armed resistance and thus Germany /
. was at war with Belgium quite as (
much as with France.
Z. In the early days of the war it
was Internationally this armed resist !
ance by Belgium, in the opinion of the /
German government, which led to the /
Failure of the original plans of the /
Herman general staff and prevented /
ispeedy victory over the French.
3 g. Although the original German /
lplans never included any idea of oc-
scupying any part of Belgium, there |
was a period in which certain cOun-
sseIors advocated permanent occupa- |
5tion of that country, basing their ar /
tguments on the indisputable fact of
belgian resistance and its corrollary
THAT to the victors belong the spoils.
( 3. At the present time these coun
a. far shrewder kind-counsels which /
advocate restoring Belgium and thus
making peace not only possible but |
lsure, unless the allies wish to face the /
soriginal, loudly proclaimed motives for /
brushing to aid of stricken Belgium |
were in fact not their motives.
Hasty Visit to King Albert.
N The discussion out of which this in
formation came was begun by a refer |
don press bureau of the recent visit |
'-ef Earl Curzon and General Sir Doug !
Jas Haig, commander-in-chief of the |
British forces in France, to Albert, /
King of the Belgians. 1t was pointed |
Out that coincident of this announce |
fnent came n dispatch from The \
Hague forwarding Berlin advices re-
garding negotiations said to be in /
progress between Germany and King |
Albert for the signing of a separate |
peace by Belgium
The official quoted. whose position |
as regards the German government is |
-such as to make any statement he /
!. utters authoritative, confirmed this !
report
1.-THE papers were quite right when
= they printed this news fortnight !
ago" he said Personally my opin-
ion is that it was this news which |
caused Earl Curzon and Sir Douglas
Haig to make their hasty visit to King
. Albert. The date of their visit CO.
. !ncides approximately with the date
of the arrival of that issue of the
. newspapers in England
Honest Desire for Peace
ITO restore Belgium to the Beigians.
/ in the German opinion, would be the
greatest political achievement con-
ceivable. 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 belIigerent
countries-an honest desire among
the people for an end of hostilities
To all demands that Germany put
5 forth peace feelers there has been pre-
. scented the irrefutable argument that