Even if the Belgians had reason to think that German
scraps of paper were worth their face value, we feel sure they would have indignantly refused the offer. Considering, however, what happened in August, 1914, what possibility was there of any body of sane men believing in Germany's promise to respect Belgian independence ? A year or two after the peace any pretext would be good enough to bring the Germans back. into Belgium. There is only one security for Belgium as FA nation, and that is the transformation of the German Empire; from a predatory military- machine into a domestic Thouth we sic; of eourcc; -aware. that 'the report of the offer
may turn out to be altogether fallacious, we are personally strongly inclined to believe it. But if it is true, it is a strong proof that the Germans are beginning to realize that their position is a hopeless- one. Only if they believed. it hopeless would they have proposed terms which area patent confession of failure.
