The sun., 1917-01-03

ALLIES PLAN AFTER 1904
WASGERMAN DOWNFALL
Dr. Hammann Until Recently Director of Intelligence
Department, Tells of Entente's Former Plans to
Attack Fatherland From the North.

BERLIN tby wireleS), Jan. 1.-THE
German impression OF the Entente's re-
ply to the peace proposals of the Cen
trail Powers was reflected to-day in
statement made to the semi-official over
seas News Agency by DR.. Hammann,
who until the turn of the year was di-
rector Of the intelligence department OF
the Foreign Office. This comment was
not based on the official text of the En-
tente's note, but on the version supplied
by the Havas News Agency from Paris.
DR.. Hammann said that consideration
by Germany and her allies OF peace Of
fer dated back as far as October. At
that time the intention was entertained
of making an honest and sincere ATTEMPT
to prevent further useless bloodshed. Be-
ing asked as to the general impression
created by the Entente reply he said:
"If l am to express an opinion In a
few words 1t is this: Instead of taking
place around a peace table the Entente's
deliberations took place on a Judges
chair. Apparently the Entente forgot
nothing that could possibly influence
neutrals against us.
The point OF the accusation, how
ever. to which the largest space Is al
lotted In the Entente note Is the martyr
dom Of Belgium But IL one desires to
pass Judgment on the martyrdom Of
Belgium one must speak beforehand re-
Sarding neutral and loyal Belgium and
this Belgium had ceased to exist long
before the war.
IL do not want to speak about the doc
uments which We found In Brussels and
which have been published. They can be
read by everybody. I only wish to single
! out one point which up to now has not
been sufficiently considered-the report
| made by Baron Greindl, Belgian Minis
ter at Berlin. dated December 2S, 1911.
/ Aim to Encircle Germany.
! This clear sighted statesman then ex-
planned forcibly that already at that
time the Entente was inspired by nothing
but the one thought of encircling Ger
| many from the north. As proof of this
Baron Greindl quoted the outcry started
in Paris and London n short time before
when the Dutch plan to fortify Flushing
had become known. Baron Greindl then
| said:
1.-The reason why they wished that
the Scheldt remain without defence was
| not concealed. In this they admitted
their purpose to be able to transport an
English garrison to Antwerp without
hindrance. thus creating in Belgium a
basis for operations in the direction OF
the lower Rhine and Westphalia.
Baron Greindl reported that the plar
was then changed IN such manner that
the English auxiliary army was not tc
be landed on the Belgian coast. but ir
the adjoining French ports. This same
plan of an English landing in order tC
threaten Germany was equally hinted a,
as imminent by Lord Roberts during the
/, last Moroccan crisis.
.In such circumstances 1t most GER
tainly would have been an easy thing 70,
| Belgium after the German question In
1914 (whether Belgium would permit the
massage of German troops to take her
armies back to Antwerp and then let the
Germans under protest march through
the country"
As to the free existence Of small ma
tions. Dr Hammann said:
"This idea, too, has found very
strange illustration during the war. Only
n few weeks have elapsed since a leading
| English Minister termed the misfortune
of the Rumanians plainly gross blum
der, Py this 'blunder' a whole nation has
been pushed into misery. Rumania has
been dragged into great war by al
sorts of dark vaccinations.
And then look at Greece. There the
Entente has occupied the ports. rail-
roads, cable and postal stations and
whole districts of the country. all against
the law Of nations. There the Entente
has simply taken what is needed and
by blockade and hunger has forced the
Greeks to surrender those things which
the Entente was unable 10 take
Bringing On of the War.
What about the reproach that Ger
! many in the decisive week OF July
! I9lD declined the British proposal OF
n conference and thus made war un.
ayoidablc"' was asked of Or. Hammaun
To this DR.. Hammann replied: The
proposal for a conference was made
July 26 by Grey. The meaning of II
was that the delegates OF France. Italy