The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-12
SETS FORTH GERMAN VIEWS
AS TO BLAME FOR THE WAR
DR. Hammann Discusses the Rights of Small Nations and De
tends Invasion of Belgian Soil

Z A'''is 80 v. i'N Nl''''-' w say
! vile. \. Y.--The German imp ession
/ of the entente's reply to the peace
/ proposals of the central powers is re-
| hected in "A statement made to the
! semi-official Overseas News Agency by
| Dr. Hammann, who until the turn of
| the year was director OF the lntelli-
| Sence department of the foreign Of
! nee. This comment was not based on
the official text OF the entente's note,
as thus far only the version supplied
by the Havas News Agency from
farls has been received here.
DIR. Hammann, who collabOrated in
the important work of the foreign Of
nee last month said that considera-
uon by Germany and her allies of a
peace offer dated back As far as Octo-
/ Der. At that time the intention was
entertained of making an honest and
sincere attempt to prevent further
/ useless bloodshed Being asked as
/ to the general impression created by
the entente reply, he said
Attitude That of Judge.
III l am to express an opinion in a
! few words. it is this: Instead Of TAX
ing place around peace table. the
entente's deliberations took place on
judges chair. Apparently the en-
tente forgot nothing that could pos
! Sthiy influence neutrals against us.
The point of the accusation. how
ever, to which the largest space is
allotted in the entente note. IS the
martyrdom of Belgium. But If one
desires to pass judgment on the mar
tyrdom of Belgium. one mast speak
beforehand regarding neutral and
loyal Belgium and this Belgium had
ceased to exist long before the WA
] do not want to speak about the
documents which Ne found IN Brus-
sells and which have been published,
They can be read by everybody. l
only wish to single out one point
which up TO now has not been sutti-
clently considered REPORT made
/ by Baron Greindi Belgium minister
al Berlin. dated December 20. 1911.
Plan to Encirclc GERMANY
This clear lighted statesman then
explained forcibly tina, already at that
: time the entente wa inspired hv
nothing but the rne thought o. en-
/ cIrcllng Germany from tae north A.
proof of this. Baron GroInd! quoted
the cutlery started IN Paris and Lon
don short time before when the
Dutch plan to. torajy Flushing bad
become known. Baron Gre.ndl then
said,
The reason WY .hey wished that
the Scheldt rema.a without defense
vas not concealed Ia This they ad-
mitted their purpose % be able to
transport an EHE.ssn garrison to
Antwerp without h.udrance. thus
creating "a Belgium - basis for opera
lions in the SIRE $50" of the lower
Rhine ana WeS,rA3la
Baron C1-o.n5t reported that the
plan was then changed in such a
| manner that the English auxiliary
army was NOT 10 be landed on the
/ Belgian coast. but in the adjoining
| French ports This same plan of an
| English landing in order to threaten
Germany was equally limited at as im
mnent by Lord Roberts during the
last Moroccan crisis. In such circum
| stances ii most certainly would have
| been an easy thing for Belgium, after
| the German question in l914 twheth-
! er Belgium would permit the passage
| of German troops) to take her armies
! back to Antwerp and then let the Ger
| mans, under protest, march through
i the country.
Secret Clauses of Treaty,
How little such action would have
violated the spirit Of existing condi-
| tions may be understood if one re-
| calls the secret clauses ot the treaties
OF 1881. In them certain agreements
! from former times were maintained
which reserve, as well ~ England as
! to Germany, the right 10 occupy a
! Belgian fortresses. In 1887 great
English neWspaper--it ! arm not mis-
/ taken 1t was the Standard stu de
clared that employment ON the part OF
Germany OF the right or way through
! belgium could not be taken as IN N1o-
lation or Belgian neutrality
At this point the interviewer sand:
I'm addition to thus the question OF
the principle Of nationality pays /
large part in the answer OF The en-
tente. What Importance must le a.
tributed TO this principle in IN" pres
ent sttuation?'
In his reply, Director iiammann ON
| phasizod every word he said.