The Washington times., 1917-09-17


this message published, and In the
interest of good feeling between Ger
many and America, II you cable Il
ask that publication be withheld"
complied with his request and II
Is characteristic OF the Presidents
desire to preserve good relations that
publication was withheld. Now. when
| the two countries are at war; when
the whole world, and especially our
own country, has an interest In know
ing how this great calamity OF uni
versal war came to the earth, the
time has come when this message
should be given out and I have pub
lished II by permission.
This most interesting document In
the frst place clears up one Issue
never really obscure in the eyes Of
the world-the deliberate violation
of the neutrality of Belgium, whose
territory "had to be violated by Ger
many on strategieal Erounds." The
very weak excuse Is added that
news" had been received that
France was already preparing to en-
ter Belgium"-not even q pretense
that there had eSer been any actual
violation OF Belgium's frontier by the
French prior to the German invasion
Of that unfortunate country. OF
course, the second excuse, that the
King OF the Belgians had refused free
passage to the Emperor's troops un-
der guarantee OF his country's free
dom, Is even weaker than the first. II
would, indeed, inAugurate q new era
in the intercourse OF nations IL q
small nation could only preserve It's
freedom by at all times on request
granting free passage to the troops Of
a powerful neighbor on the march to
attack an adjoining country.
Kaiser Must Have ForEotten.
When, on the evening OF August 3,
1914. Won schoen. the German am
bassador in Paris, presented to the
French government the German
declaration OF war, that document
stated that '"rhe German civil and
military authorities have reported q
certain number of definite acts of
hostility committed on German terri
tory by French military aviators.
Several OF these have clearly violated
the neutrality OF Belgium In flying
over the territory OF this country.
One OF them tried to destroy struc-
lures near Wesel: others have been
seen in the region OF Eiffel: another
has thrown bombs on the railway
near Karlsruhe and Nurnberg.
II am charged, and have the honor
to make known to your excellency,
that in the presence of these aggreS-
sions the German empire considers
itself in state of war with France by
the act OF this latter power" But
when the German Emperor, on August
10, wrote his personal explanation for
President Wilson he made no men
ton OF this alleged violation OF the
neutrality of Belgium by the French,
but wrote that that neutrality had"
to be violated by the Germans ION
strategical grounds"
And, aside from the violation Of Bel
gian neutrality, what would have be-
come OF England and OF the world IL
the Prussian autocracy had been left
free to defeat-one by one-the ma
tions Of the earth? First would come
the defeat OF Russia and Serbia by
Austria and Germany and the incor-
poration OF a large part OF Russia in
the German empire. German Infu-
ence would be predominant in Russia
and all the vast resources OF that great
empire at the command OF Germany.
All the fleets in the world could use
lessly blockade the German coasts IL
Germany possessed the limitless
riches OF the empire OF the Romanoffs.
South America a Target.
The German army, drawing for re-
serves on the teemIng populations OF
Russia and Siberia, would never know
defeat. And this Is not idle conjec-
ture-mere dreaming In the realm OF
posslbilities-becauEe the Russian
revolution has shown US how weak
and tottering in reality was the dread
ed power OF the Gar.
Russia beaten and half diRested,
France would have been an easy prey,
and England, even IL then joining
France in war, would have a far diff
ferent problem to face II the U-boats
were now sailing from CherbourE and
Calais. from Brest and Bordeaux, on
the mission OF piracy and murder.
And then our turn and that or Latin
America. The frst attack not on US.
but on South or Central America-at
some point to which II would be as
difficult for US to send troops to help
our neighbors as II would be for Ger
many to attack.
Remember, that in southern Brazil
nearly 1000 Germans are sustained.
as touno out, IN their devotion 10
the Fatherland by annual grants OF
money, for educational purposes,
from the imperial treasury In Berlin.
It was not without reason that at
this interview, when the Kaiser wrote
this message to the President. he
said that the coming in OF England
changed the whole situation. and
would make the war a long one. The
F.Nl
about the war. tried to cheer him
up by saying the German troops
would soon enter Paris, but he an
awgaHaA. faTka EnRlIah