Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-16
THE PACTS OF HAVRE And LONDON

| dispatch from The Hague an,
nounces that 'l3o university professors,
artists and 9TH
Demand for Belgian ers Of Holland
have demanded
oSsofssioA' Of the neutrals
of the American republics. the three
Scandinavian states. Switzerland and
Spain. the complete restoration OF the
independence Of Belgium"
This action Is doubtless due to the
reported utterances Of the German
chancellor to the effect that Belgium
was to be treated by Germany as q
conquered province.
| In view Of that situation. IL Is in
structive to recall at this hour that
February IA. 1915. the ministers Of
France. Great Britain and Russia ac-
Icredited to the Belgian government
lpresented themselves to the minister Of
foreign affairs at sainte -Adresse. the
provisional seat Of the Belgian govern
lment. when Prince Kouadachen of Rus
sia. speaking in the name Of his col
leagues, addressed himself to Baron
lBeyens thus:
1.-THE allied and guarantee powers de-
clare that the moment the Belgian gov
lernment will be called upon to partici-
pate in the negotiations Of peace: they
will not put an end to hostilities with
out the re-establishment of Belgium in
her political and economical tndepen-
ldence and largely Unidentified for dam
ages sustained: they will lend their
aid to Belgium to assure her CONNER
cial and financial re-establishment
To this speech Baron Beyens replied
1.-The government of the king Is pro-
l d1,y faf nj n
the three guarantee powers of the in
dependence of Belgium. of which you
are the accredited representatives, for
the generous initiative they have taken
lin bringing to him today that declara-
} ton. I express to you his warm thanks
Your words will have a vibrating echo
in the souls of Belgians-those that are
lighting at the front. those that suffer
in the occupied country, those who walt
in exile the hour of deliverance-all
with equal courage. These new assur-
ances will confirm their unbroken con-
viction that Belgium will be raised from
her ruins and restored to her complete
political and economical independence.
III am certain of being their interpreter
In saying that you should have full con-
fidence in us. as we have confidence in
our loyal guarantors. for we are re-
solved to struggle energetically with
them to the triumph of the right for the
defense of which we have sacrificed.
without hesitation. after the unjustifi-
able violation of our beloved country
To this manifestation the ministers of
pated in the declaration, their countries
J not being guarantors of Belgian inde-
, pendence, made known to Baron Bey-
ems the accord of their respective gov
ernmenAs.
This double declaration at Sainte-
pact Of Havre." II
Effect of Pact astonished some who
did not expect 1t, and
VI nasie. it disappointed others
who expected more. The first declared
it useless and superfuous. the second
deemed it insufficient. They would
have wished it more developed-in a
word. that 1t might contain the reQui-
sites Of treaty of peace. The ma
1ority of Belgians rejoiced and pro-
nounced It good
spread of separate peace with Rus
STA, then with Belgium. Germany, IT
was said, had made overtures at Liege
and renewed them at Antwerp. Bel
!. gium refused.
Belgium adhered to the pact of Lon
don. She assimilated in law perhaps
too absolutely her cause with that OF
other nations at war. She caused to
disappear the theory OF judicial dis
tinction" which had effaced, in fact, the
clause Of guarantee. which attached to
the treaty of 1889. In a word, Belgium,
not by defiance. but simply by respect
lance the element of the guarantee.
This was the reason for the hesitation
Of the government Of King Albert.
The guarantee powers, when this sit
the advance. And why not? Belgium's
solidarity was marked by eighteen
months of herofsm and suffering. So
many proofs endured without. weaken
tions resisted without hesitation: were
not these the best guarantees Of soli-
darity?
The interests of Belgium and those
Of the entente were one and the same.
The act of the governments of the
guarantees placed Belgium in a firm
and unequivocal position. She could
now affirm her absolute alliance with
out exceeding the terms of the con-
tract. Belgium was not asked for any
promise in return. only she was not to
conclude peace before her allies. For
a fact. the pact of Havre" is the pact
the one part and on the, other, as to the
obligations of each.
When. on February 10. 1916. the dec
llaration of Sainte-Adresse was pub
lished contradictory
| Belpium and comments were made
Neutrality. welcomed the double
engagement with satisfaction. but at
the same time it failed to find any
thing new in it.
| The discussions in the press. far
from clarifying the situation. made it
more obscure and created the false i'm
preston thaat adhesion to the pact of
London would constitute a definite re-
nunciation of neutrality, as if Bel
GUMS former neutrality still existed.
| 1t was maintained. nevertheless. that
Belgium's attitude up to February IA
indicated a preference for neutrality.
But Belgium, it is manifest, is no long
err neutral, since she is a belligerent.
Moreover, there is ample proof that