The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-09-18
WILSON HEARS BEL
CLANS FROM KING
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Continued from Page One.)
nave chosen us as the friends before
whom you could lay any matter of
vital consequence to yourselves, in
the confidence that your cause would
be understood and met in the same
spirit In which it was conceived and
intended"
BELGIAN STATEMENT.
The text of the statement of the
Belgian high commission, presented
to President Wilson today by Mr..
Carton de Wharf, was as follows:
"EXcellency:
His Majesty, the King of the
Belgians, has charged us with a
special mission to the President -
the United States.
Ever since her independence was
first established, Belgium hs& declar
ed neutral in perpetuity: This neu-
trality, guaranteRd by the powers.
mas recently beep violated by one of
them. Had we consented to aban-
don our neutrality for the benefit of
one 81 the beligerents we would have
beHAyed our obligations toward the
OTHERS and it was the sense of our in
'ternational obligation, as we'll as that
of our dignity and honor that has
driven us to resistance
THE consequences suffered by the
Belgian nation were not confined
purely to the harm occasioned bv
forced march of an invading army.
This army not only seized a great
portion of our territory but il COM
mitted incredible acts of violence.
the nature of which is contrary to
the rights of mankind.
Peaceful inhabitants we're massa-
cred, detenscless women and chill
dren were outraged, open and unde-
fcnded towns were DESTROYED. his
torical and religious monuments
were reduced to dust and the famous
libraray of the University of Louvain
was given to the flames.
RESULT OF INCEST.
"Our government has appointed a
judic al commission to make an Off
cial investigation, so as 20 thorough
ly and impartially examine the facts
and to determine the responsibility
thereof, and l will have the honor.
EXcellency, to hand over to you the
proceedings Of the inquiry.
In this frightful holocaust. which
IS sweeping all over Europe, the
United States has adopted a neutral
attitude. And it is for this reason
that your country, standing apart
from either one of the beligerCnts, is
in the best position to Judge without
bias and partially the conditions
under which the war is being waged.
, 1T was at the request, even at the
initiative of the United States, that
all civilized nations have formulated
and adopted at The Hague a law
regulating the rights and usages OF
war.
I'VE refuse to believe that war has
abolished the family of civilized
powers or the regulations to which
they have freely consented.
MORAL STANDING.
THE American people has always
displayed its respect for justice. its
search for progress and an instinC-
tive attachment for the laws of hui
manity. Therefore, it has won a
moral influence that is recognized by
tho entire world. 1t is for this rea-
son thHt Relgium, bound as it is to
you by ties of commerce and in
reasing friendship turns to the
American people at this time to let
f. IL know the real truth of the present
situation. Resolved to continue its
unflinching defense of its sovereign
~ and independence. 1t deems il n
duty to bring to the attention OF the
civilized world the innumerable
grave breaches of right of mankind,
of which she has been a victim
AT the worry moment we were
leaving Belgium the King recalled to
us the trip to the United States and
the vivid and strong impression your
powerful and virile civilization left
upon his mind.
| Our faith in your fairness, our
confidence in your justice, in your
spirit of generosity and sympathy.
all these dictated our present mis-
sion"
Mr.. Carton de Wharf handed to
President Wilson the result of the
official investigation, instituted by
the Belgian government. showing in
detail the destruction in Belgium.