Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-30
Commission Meets in Paris to
Consider Demands For Re-
turn of South Bank of the
SCheIdt River,
KEY TO ANTWERP is
BELGIAN CONTENTION
Was Coded to Dutch in Return
for Guarantees That Country
Would Always Be Fully
Protected,

Washington, July ga eomm:s-
sion representing seven powers met
IN Paris today to consider the de-
mands of Belgium for reconsideration
of the treaty of 1889, by which Hol-
land annexed the territory on thl
south bank of the Scheldt river and
the southern part of Dutch Limburg
an elongated strip of land between
Belgium and Germany says a Belgian
official announcement issued here.
In view of this meeting, the Belgian
official information service has made
public statement by DR.. A. Heb
belynck, rector emeritus of the Uni
versity of Louvain, reviewing the
treaties under which Holland obtained
possession of the disputed territory
ana setting forth arguments in favor
of Belgium's claims.
Essential To Belgium.
DR.. Hebbelynck, who is now in New
York, declares that ''the contention Of
Belgium is that both the the safe
guard of its military security in the
north and for its economical devei-
opment, it must have absolute control
of the southern half of the river
Scheldt, which implies possession of
the left bank This left bank from
port of Antwerp now is controlled by
Holland.
Belgium, says DR.. Hebbelynck, was
compelled by the treaty of 1889 TO
reeG~ sc Hollands sovereignty over
this territory, now known as D,.lch
Flanders. In returr BeIsiun was q
be projected by treaties of neutrality
the futiiity of which, he says, was de-
monstrated in 1914 when Germany
called them mere scraps of paper. "
and invaded Belgium.
Must Have Outlet.
The experience of 1914" continues
DR.. Hebbelynck, have made clear
that unless Antwerp can even in time
of war maintain its free access to the
sea, unhampered by the bubbles of a
neutral neighbor, the position of Ant
werp is rendered indefens.ble for anv
length of time. The peril is made all
the more acute by the fact that Ant
werp is the only seaport available in
Belgium for big ships such as army
and ammunition transports.
From the economical point of view
it is an absolute necessity that Bel
gium obtain the right to manage with
out hindrance, as a sovereign and
Independent power, the whole water
system not only of the Scheldt river
from Antwerp to the sea, but also Of
the low-lying lands of northern FIand-
ers and of the ship canal from Ghent
to the Scheldt river at Terneuzen.
Is Key To Antwerp.
1.-The keys of Antwerp are at vres-
ent in foreign hands. Belgium claims
them back on the strength of vrinci-
Piles of international law, today UNI
versally vroclaimed."
He asserts that endless trouble
arises from the manner in which
Dutch government officials carry out
the agreement over the use of the
small harbor of Terneuzen, an outlet
of the ship canal from Client to the
sea through Dutch territory.
Exponding Belgium's claims to the
southern part of Dutch Limburg, DR..
Hebbelynck asserts that Hollands
possession Of this territory lays the
northeastern frontier of Belgium open
to all attacks because the Dutch gov
ernment recognizes the imvossibility
to defend Limburg against an invader
coming from the east"
Also Needs Ship Canal.
This fact, he adds, compelled Hol-
land to let a whole Germany army
escape through Limburg into Ger
many with its plunder carried from
Belgium in November, 1918. The
rector of Louvain also points out that
Belgium needs a ship canal across
Dutch Limblrg in order to tap the
enormous coal fields of Westpnalla.
Belgium he concludes docs not
want to grab territory from Holland
1t only Graves a reconsideration of the
iniquitous arrangements of 1648 10
1889 in the light of modern princi-
ples'
He points out that Holland should
be compensated by obtaining from
Germany the provinces of Osterfries-
Ian and Cleef which, he says, are
largely inhabited by speaking
,noonJa