Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-16
Nations Consider Wrongs.

|
Where wrongs have been commit
| ted, their consequences and the rela-
| tive responsibility involved will be as
sessed. The nations of the world have
fortunately by agreement made a plan
for such a reckoning and settlement.
What such a plan cannot compass,
the opinion of mankind, the final arbi-
ter in all such matters, will supply.
1t would be unwise. it would be pre-
mature, for single government, how
ever fortunately separated from the
present struggle-it would be even in
consistent with the neutral position of
any nation which, like this, has no
part in the contest-to form or express
a final judgment.
II need not assure you that this con-
clusion in which 1 instinctively feel
that you will yourselves concur is
spoken frankly. because in warm friend
ship, and as best means of perfect I'M
ders landing between us. an understand
ton and cordiality.
You are most welcome, and we are
greatly honored that you should have
chosen us as the friends before whom
you could lay any matter of vital con-
sequence to yourselves in the conf
dence that your course would be I'M
derstood and met in the same spirit
in which it was conceived and in
tended
The members of the commission, who
arrived in Washington last night and
are guests at the Belgian legation on
Massachusetts avenue. had spent the
morning there with Mr.. Havenith, the
Belgian envoy extraordinary and min
lister plenipotentiary at Washin gton.
preparing the data to be submitted to
President Wilson. Following a pro-
gram arranged by the State Depart
ment, Mr.. Haveni1h called with mem
bers of the commission at the State
Department at ten minutes of two
this afternoon. and presented them to
Secretary Bryan.
Present Data to President.
After a brief conversation at the
state Department Secretary Bryan es-
corted the minister and the members
of the commission to the White House,
where they presented their data to
President Wilson at quarter past .
O'Clock. In addition to the minister
and the Secretary of state. present at
the White House during the audience
were Henry Carton de Wharf, minister
of justice in the Belgian cabinet. and
envoy extraordinary of the Belgian
king. who presented to President Will
son a personal letter from his sover-
elgn: Messrs. de Sadeleer. Hymans
and Van de Welde, ministers of state
of Belgium. and Count Louis de Lich-
terEelde, secretary OF the. commission.
Ny. de Sadeleer is a member Of the
Belgian senate and Mr.. Hymans is
member OF the house OF representa-
tives of that country, as we'll as min
isters OF state, and all the members of
The commission occupy in Belgium the
position Of privy councillors.
Make Public Statement.
Following their audience at the
White House the members of the COM
mission made public statement con-
corning what they had told President
Wilson.
The diplomatic racter of the mis-
sion of the commission prevented its
members from discussing before they
had laid their statements before the
President the details of the alleged
German ATROCITIES OF which Belgium
complains. Observing this discretion,
for reasons of high courtesy toward
the government of the United states.
the members of the commission felt at
liberty after their audience to make
statement which deals with the official
position of Belgium in the war and the
alleged acts of which that country de-
clares it has cause for complaint
against the Germans. Many of the de-
tails OF these complaints have filtered
into the United States in isolated cases
in news dispatches by cable and other
wise
The call of the Belgian commission
at the White House today is in pursu-
ance OF policy which has been adopt
ed by several OF the European govern
ments at war, looking to the arousing
of interest in the United States, not
only with the government of the
United States, but among the citizens
of this country, as to various methods
of carrying on the war.
Others Have Filed Protest.
Germany has already filed protests
with the United States government,
and SO has France. In view of the
fact that the United States govern
ment is maintaining the strictest neu-
trality in the European struggle, and
its embassies and legations abroad are
caring for the interests oft differ
ent nations at war, as well as in view
OF t!,e fact that all of the nations in
volved in the struggle have citizens of
their own countries resident in the
United States. Washington, as the
capital of the United States, is receiv-
ing at first hand almost all the protests
made.
The President has already received
personal messages from Emperor Will
liam and President Poincare, and it
became known today that he has made
no reply to these messages. which re-
late to the alleged use of dum-dum
bullets
1t is generally understood that the
President will make general state
ment, following the visit today of the
Belgian commission. covering the
statements it's members have made to
him. as we'll as the messages from the
German emperor and the French pres
ident, in which he is expected to re-
iterate the neutrality of the United
States.
Germany May Make Answer.
News dispatches from Hew York to-
day announced the trivial there Of
Anton Appelmann OH the Holland
American liner Potsdam from Rotter-
dam who is said to be 4 German off,
cial, just from Berlin, representative
of the German foreign office there, with
d mission to the United States to come
to Washington and make answer here
to the State Department to the Belgian
accusations of brutality.
AT the German embassy today Baron
Rudt Won Collenberg, a special attache
in charge during the absence of Haniel
Won Haimhausen, the counselor, and
the German ambassador. said that he
had received no advices of the pro-
spective arrival of Mr.. Appelmann, al
though. he pointed out, Ambassador
Won Bernstorff, who is making his
headquarters in New York at present.
may have been SO advised. 1t was said
at the embassy that Mr.. Won Hahn
hansen will come to the embassy to-
morrow from New York and may bring
reported intention of Mr.. Appelmann
to come here
GEN. FINDLAY KILLED