Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1904

Mr. Sickles to Mr. Hay.

American Legation,
Brussels, October 5, 1904.

Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that I have received to-day the official information that Belgium has issued no neutrality proclamations and has limited its action to publishing in the official organ of the Government, Moniteur Belge, of February 12, 1904, a notice calling the attention of the Belgian people to the fact that Belgium, being perpetually neutral, any act contrary to the duties of neutrality must be carefully avoided.

I inclose herewith the notice above referred to, together with a translation of the same.

I have, etc.,

Stanton Sickles.

[Inclosure.—Translation.]

From the Moniteur Beige, February 12, 1904

official notices.

Russia and Japan being in a state of war, the Government reminds the people that Belgium is perpetually neutral, and that any act contrary to the duties of neutrality must be carefully avoided.

The penal code contains the following provision, to which it may be useful to call public attention:

Art. 123. Whosoever, by hostile actions not approved of by the Government, shall have exposed the state to hostilities on the part of a foreign power, shall be punished with imprisonment from five to ten years, and if hostilities should result therefrom, with ten to fifteen years’ imprisonment.