New-York tribune., 1919-06-20
Nations Against Covenant
Spurn the Most Telling
Appeal Ever Made to
Manhood, He Asserts
President Shown
Devastated Areas
Gets Degree at Louvain;
Wants u. S. Ministry
to Become an Embassy

BRUSSELS, Sune 10 (By The Associ-
ated Press) s).-President Wilson, in an
address to-day before the Belgian
Chamber of Deputies, declared that the
league of nations, "as the child of this
great war" is league of rights" and
that mo thoughtful statesman who let
his thoughts run into the future could
wish for a moment to slacken these
bonds" He added that "any nation
which declines to adhere to this cove
nant deliberately turns away from the
most telling appeal that has ever been
made to its conscience and its man.
hood"
President Wilson said he had it In
mind to propose that Congress raise
the American Ministry at Brussels to
the rank of an embassy.
The Presidents address followed a
visit to the devastated region about
Charleroi with King Albert. He had
luncheon with Minister Brand Whit
lock, received members of the Ameri-
can colony and Belgian journalists and
visited Louvain. At night he was the
guest of King Albert at dinner at the
Royal Palace.
In the ruins of the Library of Lou
vain, destroyed by the Germans in
1914, the degree of Doctor OF Laws
was conferred on President Wilson to-
day by the University of Louvain.
Chamber Decorated
In Honor of President
The Chamber of Deputies was beau
tifully decorated, and the colors of all
the Belgium regiments were massed in
front of the rostrum from which Presi-
dent Wilson delivered his address.
Mrs. Wilson and Queen Elizabeth
were received by high officials of the
Senate. They were greeted with pro-
longed applause, and the band played
the American anthem.
The president of the Chamber of
Deputies, in a brief speech of well
come, said President Wilson could give
no better pledge for reparation and
the reconstruction of Belgium than
his decision to come and see for him.
self the terrible destruction wrought
eve are convinced that in this great
effort" he added, eve can count upon
the American people, as upon your
self. Belgium will never forget the
help given to her by her great sister,
America"
President Wilson's address in the
Chamber of Deputies was in response
to speech by Foreign Minister Hy-
mans expressing Belgiums gratitude
to America. Mr.. Wilson said:
"Your majesties and gentlemen:
ut is with such profound emotion
that | express my deepest appreciation
Of the generous welcome you have given
me that | am not at all sure that | can
find the words to say what it is in my
heart to say.
"Mr. Hymans has repeated to you
some of the things which America
tried to do to show her profound
friendship and sympathy with Bel
gium, but Mr.. Hymans was not able to
testify, as ! am, to the heart of Amer
lea that was back of her efforts. Fo.
%1tleTica Oiu not 40 tneSc 1flDgS mere
ly because she conceived it her duty
to do them, but because she rejoiced in
this way to show her real humanity
and her real knowledge of the needs of
an old and faithful friend And these
things, | hope, will be the dearer in
your memory because of the spirit
which was behind them.
"They were small in themselves We
often had the feeling that We were not
doing as much as we could do We
knew all the time we wers not doing
as much as We wanted to do. And it is
this spirit, and not what was done,
which deserves, I hope, to be remem-
bered.
Praise for
Noted Belgians
ut is very delightful to find myself
at last in Belgium. I have come at the
first moment that | was relieved from
imperative duty. could not come for
my own pleasure. and in neglect Of
duty, to country, where knew that
l should meet men who had done their