The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-01-25
Makes Reply To Pontitf's Peace
Note In Which Demands
Are Set Forth.
DEMANDS PREPARATION
Country Must Have Absolute Political,
Economic and Territorial lnde-
pendence AS Condition
of Peace.

Havre, Jan. 25.-Absolute political,
economic and territorial independence
are the Belgian governments terms
of peace, so far as they concern Bel
gium herself, as set forth in her reply
to Pope Benedict's peace note.
King Albert, in enclosing his re-
ply, wrote a personal letter to the
Pope, which has just been published
The letter follows:
Very Holy Father: have taken
note. with lively sympathy and in
terest, of the message that Your
Holiness was good enough to send to
the heads of the belligerent coun-
tries the first of August, and have
hastened to submit it to my govern
ment, which has studied it with most
serious and deferential attention. The
result of that study has been record
ed in a note which | am happy to
communicate to your Holiness.
Wants Durable Peace.
I'm associating myself with the
wishes of the Holy See, that just
and durable peace may promptly put
an end to the evils from which hu-
manity, and particularly the Belgian
people SO rudely tried are suffering.
beg Your Holiness to believe in my
filial and respectful attachment.
tSignedD ALBERT"
This letter was dated December q,
1917.
The note OF the Belgian govern.
ment says among other things:
Nothing has modified the situa-
ton that existed at the moment the
royal government last made known
its point of view to his holiness.
However, Belgium seizes eagerly the
occasion furnished by his holiness to
repeat before the civilized world what
it wrote nearly a year ago to Presi,
dent Wilson:
Observed Neutrality.
Before the German ultimatum
Belgium aspired only to live on good
terms with all its neighbors. She
practiced with scrupulous loyalty to-
ward each of them the duties i'm
posed by this neutrality.
"'How was she recompensed by
Germany for the confidence she
showed in her? IL there is a coun-
try that has the right to sit, took up
arms to defend its existence it as
suredly is Belgium. She desires pas
sionately that an end be brought to
the unheard sufferings of its pOpula-
| M lxr
peace that would assure her at the
same time equitable reparation and
security and guarantees for the fu-
iure.'
Reparation Demanded.
The integrity of Belgium, the terri
:ory of the mother country and col
onies, political, economic and mill
AIRY independence without condition
Or restriction, reparation for dam
age suffered and the guarantees
against the renewal of the aggres-
sions of 1914-such remain the in
iispensable conditions of just peace
10 far as concerns Belgium. Any set
.lement that would not recognize
hem would shake the very founda.
ions Of justice, since it would for.
ever more be established that in in.
.ernational domains the violation of
tight creates a claim for it's author
md may become source of profit.
Since the royal government a year
go formulated its conditions, it per.
nits itself to recall that the Reichstae
Toted resolutions called peace reso
utions. The chancellors and minis
ers OF foreign affairs have followed
Zach other in the German empire, and
more recently in the central empires
md have published notes replying t.
he message of his holiness, but never
/ word has been pronounced and never
line written clearly recognizing the
ndisputable rights of Belgium that his
loliness has not ceased to recognize
md proclaim"