The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-09-17
COMPLAINT Is
BEFORE WILSON
Continued From First Page)

CONTINUED From First Page.)
ion of mankind. the final arbiter In
such matters, will supply. 1t would
be unwise. 1t would be premature for
single government, however, fcrtu-
nately separated from the present
struggle and it would be inconsistent
with the neutral position of any ma
tion, whicn like this has no part in
the contest, to form or express a final
Judgment.
II need not assure yor 1T this
conclusion, in which Ii 7~tiveIy
feel THAI you will yoursel -"rr,
is spoken frankly becaus. .rm
friendship and as the best m, l 8 of
perfect understanding between us.
an understanding based upon mutual
respect, admiration and cordiality.
You are most welcome and we are
greatly honored that you should have
chosen AS as the friends before whom
you could lay any matter of vital I'm
portance to yourselves, in the conf
dence that your cause would be un-
derstood and met in the same spirit
In which II was conceived and intend
ed"
The text of the statement of the
Belgian high commission. presented
to President Wilson today by Mr.. Car
ton de Wiart. was as follows:
"Excellency:
His Majesty the King of the Bel
gians has charged us with a special
mission to the President of the Uni
ted States.
Ever since her independence was
first established, Belgium has been de-
clared neutral in perpetuity The neu-
trality, guaranteed by the powers, has
recently been violated by one of them.
Had we consented to abandon our
neutrality for the benefit OF one cf
the belligerents" we would have be-
TRACED our obligations toward the
others and 1t was the sense OF our in
ternational obligations, as we'll as that
of our dignity and honor that has
driven us to resistance.
The consequences suffered by the
lNlgian nation were not confined to
the harm occasioned by the forced
march on an invading army. This ar
my not only seized great portion of
the territory but 1t committed incred-
>ble violence the nature of which is
contrary to the rights of mankind.
Peaceful inhabitants were massa-
|
were outraged, open and undefended
towns were destroyed, historical and
religious monuments were reduced to
dust and the famous library of the
University Of Louvain was given to
the flames
our government has appointed O.
Judiciai commission TO make an Of
i1cial investigator, so as to thorough
ly and impaf. ..aiiy examine the facts
and to determine the responsibility
thereof and l will have the honor, Elk
cellency, to hand over to you the pro-
ceedings Of the inquiry.
I'm this frightful holocaust which
Is sweeping all over Europe, the Uni
ted States has adopted a neutral atti-
tude
And it is for this reason that your
country, standing apart from either
one Oh The belligerents, is in the best
position to Judge without bias, and
partts.lty TIE conditions under which
tho war is being waged.
1T was the request, even to the in
1tiative OF the United States, that all
civilized nations have formulated and
adopted at The Hague law regulating
the rights and usages of war.
We refuse to believe that the war
has abolished the family of civilized
powers or the regulations to which
they have freely consented.
THE American people have aIways
displayed their respect for justice, its
search for progress and an instructive
attachment for the laws Of humanity.
TheI efore. 1t has won a moral IN
fluence that Is recognize;. D. -, cn-
tire world. 1t is for this reason that
Belgium, bound as 1t is to you by ties
OF commerce and increasing friendships
turns to the American people at this
time to let them know the real truti,
OF the present situation.
Resolved to continue its unfiinch
ing defense of It's sovereignty and in
dependence, 1t deems II a duty to
bring to the attention of the civilized
world the innumerable grave breach
es OF the right of mankind, OF which
she has been a victim.
AT the very moment we were leay
ing Belgium, the King recalled to us
his trip to the United States and the
vivid and strong impression your pow
erful and virile civilization left upon
his mind.
our faith In your fairness, our con-
fidence in your Justice, in your spirit
OF generosity and sympathy. all these
dictated our present mission."
Mr.. Carton de Wiart handed to
President Wilson the results OF the Of
ficiaI inquiry instituted by the Bal
gfan government, showing In detail
the obstruction OF Belgium