Evening star., 1940-05-29
Pertinax Criticizes
Leopold Action
In Deserving Allies
Says Assistance Pledge
Should Have Caused
Sense Of Obligation
By PERTINAX.

PARIS. May 20 (N.A.N.A. by
radio) There is hardly a precedent
for the deed of King Leopold. It Is
well known, of course, that the Sax
on allies of Napoleon deserted him
on the battlefield of Leipzig, but
nobody ever dared to say that they
had Joined him as willing partners.
King Leopold was a willing part
ner and he should have had q
lasting sense of obligation toward
France and Great Britain in so
much as in March. 1887, they had
agreed to release Belgium from her
commitments as an ally, but new
ertheless to renew their pledge of
assistance on the mere condition
that she would resist invasion and
maintain an adequate army to per-
form that task.
That sense Of obligation, move
over, should have become more
intense on May when the French
and British cabinets hastened to
answer the call sent by the gov
ernment OF the King. In the past
the ministers who spoke in behalf
OF France had always emphasized
that II no arrangement between
the general STATS concerned had not
been arrived at beforehand military
assistance would be lent only within
narrow limits, as we were not willing
to incur the risk of having to fight
another battle of Charleroi.
Resisted Unity Of Command.
However, when Belgium turned to
the western powers for immediate
help the whole left wing OF the
Franco-British forces in France was
unhesitatingly thrown far away in
sweeping movement which went
beyond Antwerp and Breda. OF
course, the British and French
thought of themselves then as well
as OF Belgium. But King Leopold
should not have forgotten that by
having eluded all our demands for
the conclusion of military arrange
ments-on every occasion it is said
that his most intimate military ad-
wiser. Gen. van Oberstratten saw to
1t that the door should be flung
open to our face-he bore the main
responsibility for the unfortunate
developments Of the last fortnight.
Even as recently as May 20 the
Belgian monarch caused the Franco
British Army in the north to waste
precious time because of his un-
willingness to submit to a unity OF
command. Former Premier Daladier
had to leave Paris hastily and 60
to the front in order to demonstrate
with him. and he did not succeed
easily in persauding him to toe the
line.
The men who wish to find excuses
for what King Leopold has done
argue that he had given up hope
Of ever winning back his kingdom
by the side of the Allies. The an
swer is that on his part it was not
so much a question OF despair as a
question Of personal leanings and
disposition. As q matter of fact,
the policy of neutrality and inde-
pendence he initiated in October,
1896, as substitute for the alliance
put in shape seven months before,
meant that at the bottom Of his
heart he refused to bring up the
cause of his country with the cause
Of the western powers. But for the
refusal he would not have started
policy which could not but impair
Frances and Great Britain's means
Of defense against Germany.
Cruel Price for Policy.
His true attitude was concealed
behind the screen afforded by the
Franco-British unilateral guarantee
Of March, 1887. for which he had
to profess thankfulness. But there
are indications that he saw in it
something else as q means to spare
the feelings of his French-speaking
subjects in Liege and elsewhere, who
now have to pay a cruel price for
his mistaken foreign policy Of the
last four years.
Other wen-wishers Of the King
will explain that as commander In
chief he had within his powers to
enjoin the Belgian Army to sur