The New York herald., 1921-01-03
MOCKER OF BELGIAN
NEUTRALITY DIES
oon.inuod from First Page.


tionai law We know. however. that
France was ready to invade Belgium.
France could wait: We could not, as
France could invade our lower Rhine
flank, which would prove fatal.
80 we were forced TO disregard he
protests of the Luxembourg and Belgium
Governments. We shall try to make
good the injustice we have committed as
soon as our military goal has been
reached"
His Peace Feelers.
Several times during his tenure OF Of
fee of DR.. Won Bethmann Hollweg threw
out peace feelers. particularly in 1916.
when he invited the Allies to enter
peace negotiations. In none or them,
however. would he give other than the
vaguest indication as TO what the Ger
mans would demand as n peace settle
ment. and all of his overtures were re-
jected. At first against the unrestricted
use OF submarines, he finally yielded to
the strong men in the military party
He appeared convinced that England
could be starved, and gave his consent
to Admiral Won Tirpitz's scheme for the
blockade of tho British Isles. He at
tempted TO dismiss the entrance of
America into the war by the explana-
tion that the United States could raise
no army" and could give but little
moral support.
Toward the end of his regime demands
fer internal reform in Germany became
claInorous. The Chancellor made vague
promises OF reform. but proposed that
any alteration of the political system be
postponed until after the war; In his
speech on May Is. 1917. he made no
commitment on reform. His yielding in
Ia tn
s:ricted submarine warfare had not
abated the hostility Of the extremists.
and he was left without support from
either Conservative or Liberal groups.
DR.. Won Bethmann Hollweg's failure
to realize the tremendous consequences
that would follow a violation Of the neu-
trality of Belgium and his inability TO
pursue a policy that would have kept
America out OF the war influenced the
outcome of the war as no other decisions
would apparently have done.
His Defence at Inquiry.
When Won Bethmann Hollweg ap-
peared as n witness in October, 1919. be-
fore the National Assembly sub-commit-
tee which investigated the RESPONSE
bility for the war he defended his
regime as Chancellor. In June, 1919. he
formally asked the Allied and Associated
Powers to place him on trial instead Of
the abdicated Emperor William.
Blaming as responsible for the war
both the militarists and what he chose
TO believe was a deliberate plan of Eng
land and France to encircle Germany,
Won Bethmann Hollweg in his memoirs
gives as his explanation of the reason
for the outbreak of the conflict the bel
licose attitude of Russia. He declares
he was obliged to, give his unqualified
support to Austria because il he had
allowed Russia to attack Austria II
would have meant Austria's destruction,
which Germany could not permit.
Dr. Won Bethmann Hollweg was born
in 1856, descendant of one of the old
ests patrlcian families of Europe. The
Bethmanns were bankers and the Ho!l-
wegs merchants, and on his mothers side
there was a Jewish strain. His grand
father vas Matthias a. Hollweg. pro-
fessor of civil law at Bonn and Liberal
politician of Prussia in the '40s and sos.
The future Chancellor entered the Prus-
sian administrative service In 1882 and
rose to the position of President of the
Province OF Brandenburg in 1899. In
1906 he became Prussian Minister of .he
Interior Two years later he was Ap-
pointed Imperial Secretary of the Intc-
rior and Vice President of the Pruss'an
Ministry OF state. cn july II, l'V'' Ho
succeeded Prince Won Bulow as Chan
cellor.
At Bonn DR.. Won Bethmann Hollweg
became a friend OF Kaiser Wilhelm when
both were students there. They were
members of the same fraternity.
While the Zabern affair was notable
incident of his Chancellorship before tae
war, the Agadir affair was Of equal II
not greater gravity. as 1t threatened war
between France and Germany. and
would have ranged England on the side
of France II Lloyd Georges famous
Guildhall speech was evidence OF The
British attitude In the dispute over
Frances penetration into northern AZ