The childish duplicity of the German Government was well illus-
trated both in the Chancellor's reference to Belgium and in its trans- mission abroad. Monday's papers contained a statement made by him on Friday week, to the effect that Belgium was to be held as a " pawn for future negotiations." " We have no intention of keeping Belgium in any form whatever." "After the war a restored Belgium shall as a self-dependent State not be subject to anybody as a vassal.' Though these declarations were contrary to the pledge given by Germany in August, 1914, they inspired credulous people with the idea that Count Herding was weakening on the subject of Belgium. However, Tuesday's papers gave a passage from his speech of Thursday week, repeating the old demand that " restored " Belgium must be bound to Germany both in a military and an economic sense, so that it might not become " a jumping-on ground for our enemies." That is to say, Belgium should be subject to Germany as a vassal. Count Hertling's contradictory utterances, doled out by the German Censorship, have shown once more that German states- men cannot run straight.
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