El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-16
wilson ANSWERS
ELGIANPROTEST
Tells Belgian Commission
ers Neutral Nation Cannot
Comment on Atrocities.

! state department just before , D. m. and
! were received by secretary Bryan, who
I then took them over to the white
President Wilson said to the COM
| mission
/ Permit me to say with what pleas
I ure T receive YOU as representative OF
l the king Of the Belgians, a people for
/ whom the people Of the United States
{ feel so strong a friendship and admira-
/ ton. a king for whom they entertain
l so sincere respect, and express my
] hope that we may have many oppOr-
/ tunitIes Of earning and deserving their
/ regard.
/ You are not mistaken in believing
J that the people Of this country love
/ justice. seek the true paths Of progress
and have a passionate regard Tor the
/ rights Of humanity
Takes Pride in Nation.
1T is a matter Of profound pride to
/ me that / am permitted Tor time TO
] represent such a people and TO be
! their spokesman, and l am honored
I that your king should have turned to
! me I'm time of distress as to one who
/ would wish on behalf Of the people he
/ represents, to consider the claims 10
] the impartial sympathy OF mankind OF
Z a nation which deems itself Wronged.
| Il thank you for the documents you
! have put in my hands containing the
] result Of an Investigation made BY a
/ judicial committee appointed by the
] DEA--Aa.AA EDh Ct AlllE4AL ~ ApDh A-AA0 AAAg
/ matter of which YOU have come 20
} speak It shall have my most atten-
] tive perusal and most thoughtful con-
| sideratiOn.
Accounting When War Ends.
You viii. I am sure, not expect me
| to say more. Presently, 1 pray God
I very soon, this war viii be over The
! day OF accounting viii then come,
! when, I take IL for granted, the ma
lions OF Europe viii assemble to deter
mine a settlement where wrongs
have been committed their cOnse-
Quences and the relative responsibility
involved will be assessed
The nations Of the world have for
tunately. by agreement made plan
for such reckoning and settlement
What such a plan can not compass, the
final arbiter in such matter will sup
ply. It would be unwise, IL would be
premature for a single government,
however, fortunately separated from
the present struEgle. il would be in
consistent with the neutral position Of
any nation, which like this. has no part
in the contest, 10 form or express a
final judgment
Conclusion Is Frankly Expressed
81 need not assure YOU that this con-
clusion in which I feel that YOU viii
yourselves concur. IS spoken frankly
because IL is spoken in warm friend
ship. and as the best means Of perfect
understanding between US. an under
standing based on mutual respect, ad-
miration and cordially.
on are most WelGOIue ana 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 confl-
dence that your cause would be under
stood and met In the same spirit IN
which il was conceived and intended
Present Statement to President.
The text of the statement OF the
Belgian high commission, presented TO
president Wilson at the white house
today by Mr.. Carton de Wharf was as
follows:
"Excellency:
His majesty. the king Of Belgium.
has charged us with special mission
to the president OF the United States
Let me say TO you how much We feel
ourselves hOnored TO have been called
and Of our whole nation TO the Illus
triOus statesman whom the American
people have called TO the highest dig
nifty Of the commonwealth
las far as 1 am concerned, I have
already been able, during previous ]
trip. 10 fully appreciate the noble vir-
tues OF the American nation and am {
happy to take this opportunity to ex-
press the admiration with which they
inspired me.
Belgian Neutrality violated.
Ever since her independence was
first established, Belgium has been de-
clared neutral in perpetuity. This neu- ]
tralitT. guaranteed by the powers, has |
recently been violated By one OF them. /
Had we consented to abandon our neu-
trality for the benefit OF one OF the /
belligerents, We would have betrayed i
our obligations toward the others and !
1t was the sense Of our international /
obligations, as wen as that OF our dig i
nifty and honor, that has driven US TO /
resistance.
The consequences suffered by the 1
Belgian nation were not confined pure
" to the harm occasioned by the forced /
march Of an invading army. This 1
army not only seized great portion of i
our territory, but il committed incredi-
BILE acts Of violence, the nature Of
which is contrary to the rights Of man
kind
Peaceful Inhabitants KIassacred..
Peaceful inhabitants were massa-
cred. defenceless women and children
were outraged, open and undefended
towns were destroyed; historical and
monuments were reduced TO
dust and the famous library Of the
University Of Louvain was given to the
flames
"Our government has appointed
judicial commission TO make an Off
cial investigation and determine the
responsibility and I will have the honor.
eXceliency. to hand over to you the
proceedings Of the inquiry.
an this frightful holocaust which
Is sweeping all over Europe, the United
states have adopted a neutral atti-
L. $. Best Qualified to Judge.
"And IL is for this reason that your /
country. standing apart from either one |
Of the belligerents, is in the best posi-
ton to Judge without bias and partial
ty, the conditions under which the war |
Is being waged.
1T was at the request, even at the !
Initiative of the United States, that all I
civilized nations have formulated and |
adopted at The Hague a law regulating
he rights and usages Of war.
we refuse to believe that war has I
lboIished the family Of civilized powers |
II the regulations to which they have I
Freely consented
Moral Influence of America.
The American people have always |
displayed its respect for justice. its !
search for progress and an instructive ]
attachment for the laws OF humanity. !
Therefore il has won a moral influence |
hat is recognized by the entire world. (
L is for this reason that Belgium.
POUND as il is with undoubted ties OF
commerce and increasing friendship. /
urns TO the American people at this
ime TO let il know the real truth Of the
resent situation. Resolved to con-
inue its unflinchinE defence Of its SOW
reigntv and independence, it deems il
duty to bring to the attention of the
civilized world the innumerable grave
reaches Of right Of mankind, Of which
he has been a victim
AT the very moment we were leav-