England instigated Belgium to go to war, and when the time came to protect the unfortunate little country it was left to its own resources.  Germany, on the other hand, which had heard of Belgium’s agreement with England at the beginning of this war, offered to protect Belgium and to pay full indemnity for all her losses.  Germany would have religiously kept her promise.

The documents found in Brussels further prove that as far back as 1906 England was systematically trying to bring about the coalition which has now forced war on Germany.

* * * * *

GRAY BOOK’S TESTIMONY.

Statement by E. Havenith, Belgian Minister to the United States, Washington, Oct. 22.

The Belgian Legation has just received the copies of the “Gray Book.”  It is evident from these documents that there has never existed any military agreement between Belgium and England, either offensive or defensive, such as the German Government asserts to have been in existence since 1906.  The following extracts speak for themselves: 

     No. 28—­Offer of intervention by England.  Note handed to Sir
     Francis H. Villiers, British Minister to Belgium, to M. Davignon,
     Minister of Foreign Affairs.

     Brussels, Aug. 4, 1914.

I am instructed to inform the Belgium Government that, if Germany exercises pressure for the purpose of compelling Belgium to abandon her position of a neutral country, the Government of his Britannic Majesty expects Belgium to resist by every possible means.

The Government of his Britannic Majesty is ready in that event to join with Russia and France, if desired by Belgium, to offer to the Belgian Government at once common action for the purpose of resisting the use of force by Germany against Belgium and at the same time to offer a guarantee to maintain the independence and integrity of Belgium in the future.

     No. 37—­Offer of England for an alliance for the object of
     assuring the neutrality of Belgium against the pressure of
     Germany.

     London, Aug. 4, 1914.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has informed the British Ministers in Norway, Holland, and Belgium that Great Britain expects that these three kingdoms will resist the pressure of Germany and maintain neutrality.  They will be supported in their resistance by England, who in such a case is ready to co-operate with France and Russia, if such is the desire of these three Governments, in offering an alliance to the said Governments to repel the employment of force against them by Germany and a guarantee for the future maintenance of the independence and the integrity of the three kingdoms.

     I pointed out that Belgium is neutral in perpetuity.  The Minister
     for Foreign Affairs replied:  “It is for the event of neutrality
     being violated.”