BELGIUM'S NEUTRALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 5

BELGIUM'S NEUTRALITY.

BRITAIN'S DEMAND FOR OBSERVANCE. GERMANY SEEKS TO EVADE THE ISSUE. LONDON, August 5. In the House of Commons to-day Mr Asquith read a telegram sent to the Ambassador in Berlin early this morning, when the King of the Belgians appealed to King George for diplomatic intervention on behalf of Belgium, who categorically refused Germany's request for a free passage as a flagrant violation of the laws of nations. His Majesty's Government was bound to protest against this violation of the treaty, and must request that Belgium's neutrality be respected. Mr Asquith read a telegram from the British Minister at Brussels quoting the German Note to Belgium that as she declined a well-intentioned proposal submitted by the Imperial Government, the latter deeply regret to be compelled to carry out, if necessary by force of arms, measures considered indispensable in view of the French menace. Mr. Asquith then read Herr yon Jagow's telegram repeating a formal assurance that Germany would not annex Belgian territory, amid derisive laughter. The telegram stated that Germany had unimpeachable information that France intended to attack her across Belgium, hence her disregard of neutrality. Mr. Asquith added, "This explanation is unsatisfactory." Continuing, the Prime Minister said: "Simultaneously we received a telegram from the Belgian Foreign Minister announcing that Belgium's territory had been violated. Gemmenich, near Aix-la-Chapelle, had been penetrated, and still further advances made elsewhere." Mr. Asquith read Herr yon Jagow's telegram, which stated: "The declaration that we will not annex Belgian territory is borne out by the fact that we solemnly pledge our word to Holland to respect strictly their neutrality. It is obvious that we could not profitably annex Belgian territory without making territorial acquisition ; at Holland's expense." Mr. Asquith went on to say: "We repeated the request we made last week that Germany should give us the same assurance with regard to Belgian neutrality as was given to us and to Belgium by France." Tlie third army of 150,000 men has been mobilised in Belgium to defend the neutrality. The strategical line from Malmeny to Liege is guarded both on the German and Belgian sides. Twenty-six thousnnd are engage-' digging trenches between the forta.