Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-07-29
BELGIUM SAFETY
R e a d ju S t m e mt of
Boundaries Sought

i
Powers To Meet Today in Paris 70
Reconsider Treaty Of 1899 BY
Which Holland Annexed Territory
On South Bank Of seheldt
| Washington, July 2S-A commits.
sion representing seven powers will
meet in Paris on Tuesday, July 20 to
| consider the demands of Belgium for
| reconsideration of the treaty Of 1889
by which Holland annexed the ter
ritory on the south bank of the
Scheldt river and the southern part
of the Dutch Limburg, an elongated
strip of land between Belgium and
Germany. says Belgian official an
nouncement issued here.
In view Of this meeting. the Bel
gian Omcial Information Service has
made public a statement by DR.. A.
Hebbelynck, Rector Emeritus Of the
University Of Louvain, reviewing the
treaties under which Holland OBJ
tanned possession Of the disputed ter
ritory and setting forth arguments
in favor Of Belgium's claims.
DR.. Hebbelynck, who Is now in
New York, declares that 'the con-
tention of Belgium Is that, both for
the safeguard of it's military security
in the north and for its economical
development, it must have absolute
control Of the southern half of the
river Scheldt, which implies posses
sion of it's left bank" This left
bank from the North Sea nearly to
the Belgian port Of Antwerp now is
controlled by Holland.
Belgium. says DR.. HebbelyncN,
was compelled by the treaty Of 1888
to recognize Hollands sovereignty
Dutch Flanders. In return Belgium
was to be protected by treaties OF
neutrality the futility Of which, he
| says, was demonstrc ted in 1914
! when Germany called them mere
scraps of paper" and invaded Bel
GUM.
The experiences Of 1914" con-
tinues DIR. Hebbelynck. have made
clear that unless Antwerp can even
in time of war maintain its free ac-
cess to the sea, unhampered by the
bubbles of a neutral neighbor, the
position of Antwerp is rendered in
defensible for any length OF time
The peril is made all the more acute
by the fact that Antwerp is the only
seaport available in Belgium for big
ships such as army and ammunition
transports.
From the economical point OF
| Ton tc o1,,4n L.
| Belgium obtain the right to manage
without 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 North
ern Flanders and of the ship canal
from Client to the Scheldt river al
| Terneuzen.
The keys Of Antwerp are at pres
ent in foreign. hands. Belgium
claims them back On the strength OF
principles of International law, today
universally proclaimed"
| He asserts that endless trouble
arises from the manner in which
J 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.
Expounding Belgium's claims to
the southern part of Dutch Limburg
lands possession of this territory
lays the northeastern frontier OF
Belgium open to all attacks because
the Dutch government recognizes the
! impossibility to defend Limbure
against an invader coming from the
east"
This fact, he adds. compelled Hol-
land to let a whole German army
escape through Limburg into Ger
many with it's plumber carried from
Belgium in November, 1879. The
Rector Of Louvain also points out
that Belgium needs ship canal
across Dutch Limburg in order ia
tap the enormous coal fields of West
phalia-
Belgium" he concludes, "does not
want to grab territory from Holland
1t only Graves a reconsideration OF
the inquitous arrangements of 164s
to 1889 in the light of modern prin-
ciples."
| He points out that Holland should
be compensated by obtaining from
Germany the provinces of Ostfries-
land and Cleef which. he says, are
largely inhabited by Dutch speaking
people.
Berger Refers