Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-10
BARRIER OF THE RHINE
FOR BELGIAN PROTECTION
State Desired to Separate
Her From Huns.
RELIED ON HER NEUTRALITY
But for Feeling Of Security Guaran-
tced by Treaty, Belgium Would
Have Had Army OF 100000 With
Which to Face German Invaders.
ny MAURICE MAETERLiNCk,
The t;rcnt ReiEian Poet.


What must be the Belgian peace
the final victory is won" said Mactcr-
l'nck. and Of that victory am Alb
solutcly convinced. the barrier OF the
Hhine must be established in favor
OF Belgium. Only then will justice be
done TO us. That must be the basis Of
the Belgian peace
But we do not propose the anLexa-
ton. or rather the Instrumentation. Of
all that was primitively Belgium.
though you may take as fact that
there are in these territories about
100000 Bclgians. Walloons, and Lux
emoourgeois. who. though Of Belgian
stock. have been perforce Germans
ever since the Vienna treaty OF 1915.
II was that terrible treaty of Vienna
which was the death of Belgium. Bat
an autonomous buffer state should he
created extending from the present
He!gian frontier 10 the Rhine. The
Meuse does not suffice US as natural
barrier. Namur and Liese as the two
pivois OF our resistance to the German
aggression are Inadequate. And Ant
wcrp cannot exist without the Escaut.
lio!!and-and a Holland which has
long been subservient 10 Germany
dominates both its banks. the popula
tons OF which are. however. on either
Dutch.
You ask mo how would define the
difference between the Fleming and
the Hollander. The Fleming is the
putchman of the south, with many OF
the same qualities that distinguish the
Mcridional Frcnchman from the
french:nan of the north more easy
going. OF a brighter and more genial
spirit The French revolution united
p,. -
tyrannized over him then
The Duthnan will squcal Of course.
at losing the Escaut. but he will fnd
MS compensation in Germany.
II IL not to the military strateEis,s
that the question Of Beigum's fuure
frontiers should be left for settlement.
great European as we'll as national
problem is involved. Belgium must be
restored. not only in the material SEM.
with which the pacihsts are fippantIy
content; but territorially. SO that she
VIII be strong enough TO throw off in-
burden OF neutrality, which has ever
occn her greatest misfortune She
must be revised as an independent ma :
iion. really depandent-that is to saw,
oapaDIe OF making any treaties she
thinks proper.
The value Of the treaties that were
made for her We have learned only
700 butterfly to estimate 1t was Hell
gum neutrality tina; vas the immcdi-
Ste cause OF her downfall
Hr:LGiiM TRI STED
TO HER NEUTRALITY
According TO her population she
ought 70 have had an army OF at less,
S"'."Vo men tand had she had them
Germany would not have attcmptcd
TO walk over herr but. trusting to her
neutrality, she contended herself win
10000 to 100000 men. and Parliament
constantly refused additional army.
credits. though General Brialmon. the
designer of her forts. confessed him :
self unable to defend them with tn,
insufficient men and material. at his
disposition. And 50 il was that up 10
the battle OF the User 10000. just halt
OF these 10000 men were lost in a
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