We notice in criticisms of Sir James Barrie's new play
Der Tag, that the author represents the German Emperor as hesitating till the last moment about consenting to the viola- tion of Belgian territory. The assumption that the German Emperor wanted peace up to the end is not perhaps capable of disproof by written evidence (though there is a great weight of other evidence that he had long been with the war party), but the assumption that he did not approve of the invasion of Belgium as a military measure can be definitely disproved by written evidence. One of the German strategic railways was built for the purpose of using Belgian territory ; and the plans of the German General Staff on the subject were adopted and approved of by the German Emperor in 1908. So far as we remember, his memorandum was published at the time in the National Review. We do not pretend that historical accuracy is a necessary part of a dramatist's art. But as far more people are likely to see Sir James Barrie's play than have ever heard of the Emperor's memorandum, the historical fact that the Emperor consented years in advance to the violation of Belgium is worth recording.
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