The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-19
LUXEMBOURG ASKS HELP
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
BY Frederic j. Haskin. Director
Washington. d @.

Washington. D. c., June ia
committee of the citizens of the Grand
Duchy of Luxembourg have addressed
a petition to President Wilson, ask
ing that the United States do not for
get the wrongs that Rave been inf11ct-
ed upon their country by Germany
If this war is being fought over the
rights of small nations, says the petit
ton in effect, remember that we are
the smallest of all nations, and that
our rights were the first to be Vlo-
lated.
The first neutral nation to be in
vaded by Germany was Luxembourg.
The invasion was a fragrant breach of
a solemn treaty, and the Germans adj
mitted as much, explaining with their
usual myopic morality that the breach
was justified on grounds of military
necessity. We have committed a
wron6-I speak plainly" said the
German chancellor. addressing the
reichstag, but we will make redress
for this wrong as soon as our military
objects are attained"
The first prisoners taken in the
great war were citizens of LuXem-
burg-men who had no wrong, done
nothing but protest against the inva-
sion of their territory. They were re-
moved into Germany, and the natives
got the impression that they were
spies, with the result that their lives
were endangered. The German armies
swept completely over Luxem burg,
one of the most peaceful and progress
sive states in Europe.
Luxembourg is a country of about
/ 200 square miles with a population
of 10000. There is no compulsory
military service, and the army in 1917
consisted of 900 men and an excellent
military band. When war was declar-
cd Inv 4Io
| its frontiers with steel chains. The
| German advance guard forced the
army to remove the chains at the
| point of the pistol. One single barri-
cade was erected to check the advance
I OF the Teutons, and the men who
| built it were forced to take it down
! Any resistance of course was absolute
/ ly hopeless.
| Since then Luxembourg has been in
i German hands. The petition to Pres
/ ldent Wilson was drawn up by COM
! lnittee of eXiles in Paris. A large
number of LuNemburgherss left the
/ country rather than remain under
| Prussian domination. The number of
L IL 1ts1 b4rghers fighting as volunteers
| in the allied armies is greater in pro-
portion to population than those of
/ any other nation in the world.
In order to understand the position
and the sentiments of the Luxem-
! burghers it is necessary to remember
! the establishment of the grand duchv
as free nation, and the feeling to-
ward Prussia. The grand duchy was
made independent, autonomous and
neutral in 1857. A conference of the
! powers In London Solemnly pledged
themselves to establish and maintain
| this lndeperde and neutrality The
treaty was signed by Prussia, France
! Austria, Great Britain, Russia and
Italy. 1t was agreed that Luxembourg
should maintain a strict neutrality in
! all wars, and that this neutrality
should be respected by every nation
Luxembourg was at that time strongly
fortified. The Notifications were blown
up and destroyed by commission OF
French and Prussian military officers
Luxembourg was to enjoy, and bound
to maintain, perfect peace from that
day forward.
There are two reasons why posses
SION of Luxembourg was important to
Germany. First, it lies on the direct
road to France. Second, it is an i'm
portant agricultural and industrial
state. 1t has rich mines of lead, cop
per, antimony and iron. Almost 8 per
cent of the whole worlds output OF
iron is produced in this tiny nation
in the face of these considerations the
solemn treaty stipulations were NOT
considered. The first scrap of paper
was torn to shreds
For many years past Germany has
been attempting to extend her inftu-
velopeo railroad system of the country
was controlled by Germans, and il i.
now clear that this network of rail
roads, SO eXceltently adapted to the
transportation of troops, was designed
largely with that end in view. Luxem.
customs union. Every effort wa:
made to Germanize the Grand Duchy
but these efforts failed because
hatred of Prussia is deeply ingraineo
in the Luxembourg nature. OF thi
there seems to be no reasonable doubt
The national anthem of Luxemburs
has for its refrain. the words, "We vii
never be Prussians, we will remain
: what we are" Shortly after thu Ger
time made Luxembourg his headquar
tiers. The people refused to salut
: him on the street. An excellent Ger
t man military band gave daily concert
r in the public park. The mus.c-lovin
people refused to attend them. Tn
women of Luxembourg enlisted in III
Red Cross, but they refused to nufs
the German wounded, combining tnei
, work to Belgians and French Nos
convincing proof of Luxembourg senti
ment is given by the Luxembourg vol
unteers fighting in the French army
: The ruler of Luxembourg is tn
Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide.
is said by some that the Grand Ouch
r ess herself went out in her motor ca
I to protest against the violation of he
neutral duchy, but the actual protes
. seems to have been made by officer
of the tiny army.
e AS is often the case in small nations
the patriotism of the Luxemburger
is a very ardent sentiment. Thei
: country is at once one of the mos
/ beautiful and the richest in the worlC
= In all the arts of peace they occup
a very advanced position. The gov
eminent is a constitutional monarchy
g there is complete religious freedom i
8 normal times. There are excel1eI
roads, $40 miles of railroad-in
country of 1000 square miles-a ner
n work of telephone lines, 125 posto1
e fees, and schools are particular
numerous. Education is compulsor.