Current History, A Monthly Magazine

tion with the British Ambassador in reference to the Belgian neutrality treaty, should have caused such an unfavorable impression in the United States. The expression was used in quite

Press occurred at the German Army Field Headquarters, in a town of Northern France, and in a villa serving as the office and dwelling for the Im

ed to give an explanation of his meaning, which in substance was that he had spoken of the treaty not as "a scrap of paper" for Germany, but as an instrument which had become obsolete through Belgium

red in the Reichstag that only dire necessity and only the struggle for existence compelled German

hat Belgium long before had abandoned its neutrality in its relations with England. Nevertheless, I took Germany

on with Ambassador Goschen, Sir Edward Grey had delivered his well-known speech in Parliament, in which, whil

es about England's honor and England's obligations we find it over and over again expressed that England's interests-its own interests-call f

ivate interests regardless of right, reason, or considerations of humanity-is expressed i

nding on every party thereto, irrespective altogether of the particular position in which it may find itself at a time when the occasio

because it believed its own interests demanded it. Just

talk the matter over privately as man to man, that among the reasons which had impelled England

Chancellorship going for nought? I recalled to the Ambassador my efforts for years to bring about an understanding between England and Germany; an u

on which we could have approached the United States as a third partner; but England had not taken

ement which we have found in the meantime show plainly enough how England regarded this neutrality. As you know, we found in the archives of the Belgian Foreign Office documents which showed that England in 1911 was determined

would justify that action. And still people in the United States wonder that I characterized as a scrap of paper the treaty whose observance, according to responsible Briti

used to assure us of England's neutrality even in

he Treaty of 1839 as a scrap of paper, for this scrap of paper was for England ex

clearly enough that England in this matter, too, acted

feeling, particularly when he mentioned his efforts for an understanding with England and the world peace which he had hoped would come from them based on an