learing the
way for swiftly following events. Germany had invaded Belgium against
the diplomatic and active protests of its Government. But the German
Government still hoped that the heroic resistance of Liege would satisfy
Belgian national spirit, and a free passage of German troops now be
granted. The German Emperor made a direct appeal to the King of the
Belgians through the medium of the Queen of Holland. From the German
point of outlook their victory could best be attained by the march
through Belgium upon Paris. The German Government asserted that the
French and British contemplated a similar breach of Belgian neutrality.
To their mind, it was a case of which should be on the ground first. On
the other hand, the Allies pronounced the German invasion of Belgium an
unprovoked assault, and produced countertestimony. The controversy has
continued to this day. But the war as it progressed has seen many
breaches of neutrality, and a certain resignation to the inevitable has
succeeded the moral indignation so easily aroused in its early stages.

Let us now glance at the condition of Belgium when war was declared. The
Belgians were an industrial and not a militant people. They had ample
reason to yearn for a permanent peace. Their country had been the
cockpit of Europe from the time of Caesar until Waterloo. The names of
their cities, for the most part, represented great historic battle
fields. Again and again had the ruin of conflict swept over their
unfortunately situated land. At all periods the Belgians were brave
fighters on one side or the other, for Belgium had been denied a
national unity. Doubtless, therefore, they welcomed the establishment of
their independent sovereignty and the era of peace which followed.
Historically, they had suffered enough, with an abundance to spare, from
perpetual warfare. Their minds turned hopefully toward industrial and
commercial activity, stimulated by the natural mineral wealth of their
soil. Thus the products of their factories reached all countries, South
America, China, Manchuria, and Central Africa, especially of later
years, where a great territory had been acquired in the Congo. The iron
and steel work of Liege was famous, Antwerp had become one of the chief
ports of Europe and growing into a financial power. But owing to the
confined boundaries of Belgium, there grew to be a congestion of
population. This produced a strong democratic and socialistic uplift
which even threa