THE WORLD WAR: PERIOD OF AMERICAN NEUTRALITY 203



  The published diplomatic correspondence shows that Germany de-
clared war by ultimatum and that a state of war actually existed
between Germany and Belgium before German forces penetrated
into the territory of the latter country. Following the provisions
of Article 1 of Hague Convention III of 1907 40 that hostilities must
not commence "without previous and explicit warning in the form
either of a reasoned declaration of war or of an ultimatum with
conditional declaration of war" the German Government presented
to the Belgian Government a note proposing among other things
that German troops be given free passage through Belgian territory
and threatening in case of refusal to treat Belgium as an enemy.
Belgium declined to accede to the proposal with a full knowledge
that the consequence would be war with Germany. Upon her re-
fusal Belgium lost her neutral character and by operation of the
ultimatum became a belligerent. After this status in the relations
of the two countries had been reached, German forces began the in-
vasion of Belgium and a state of war resulted.
  This may have been a violation of an agreement neutralizing Bel-
gium, but that is a question for the parties to that agreement to de-
termine. In any case it was a declaration of war against a state
previously neutral. Germany acted in full conformity with the
Hague Conventions and therefore cannot be regarded as having vio-
lated them.
  A belligerent is not restrained by the Hague Conventions from de-
claring war against a neutral state for any cause which seems to it
sufficient. The Conventions do not restrict such action to any stated
cms8 beMU. A belligerent under the present international system is
at liberty to seek his own casus belli and to maintain it before the
world. For another neutral to protest and denounce it as unjusti-
fiable would be to exceed the bounds of international duty and cus-
tom. A procedure for a third party in a case of this sort is, how-
ever, laid down in the Hague Conventions. Convention I of 1907 41
provides in Article 3 that it is expedient and desirable that "stran-
gers to the dispute should on their own initiative and as far as cir-
cumstances may allow offer their good offices or mediation to the
states at variance," and that "the exercise of this right can never
be
regarded . . . as an unfriendly act."
  Although Great Britain and Servia had never ratified this Con-
vention, yet in conformity with its provisions the Department of
State on August 4th sent to Paris, Berlin, Vienna and St. Peters-
burg and on August 5th to London, the President's offer to act in
the interest of European peace either then or at any other suitable

4Ibid., p. 2259.
Ibid., p. 2220.