Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-20

Brussels. June 2O.-The King ant
queen of the Belgans said good-b t.
President and Mrs. Wilson last nigh
after day of functions and sight-scc
ing that taxed the energies of every in
dividual in the American party.
In his address before the Chamber
OF Deputies yesterday, President Wilson
said:
"Your Majesty and Gentlemen-1t Is
with such profound emotion that
express my deepest appreciation of th'
generous welcome you have given me
that I am not at all sure that l car
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 trieC
to do to show her profound friendship
and sympathy with Belgium; hut Mr.
Hymans was not able to testify. as
am, to the heart OF America that was
back of her efforts. For America die
not do these things merely because she
conceived it her duty to do them but
because she rejoicpd in this way tC
show her real humanity and her rca
knowledge of the needs Of an old ant
faithful friend And these things,
hope. will be the dearer in your memory
because of the spirit which was behinC
them.
"They were small in themselves. We
often had the feeling that we were MOI
doing as much as we could do. W.
knew all the time we were not doins
as much as we wanted to 90. And il il
this spirit. and not what was done
which deserves. | hope, to be remem
bered.
Could Not Neglect Duty
'It is very delightful to find mysel
at last in Belgium. / have come n
the first moment that was relieved
from imperative dusy. | could no
come for my own pleasure and in neg
lect of duty to ii country where | knew
that I should meet men who had don'
their duty: where | knew I should NEE
n sovereign who had constantly identi'
fed himself with the interests and thu
life of his people at every SaCrlhce Il
himself: where | should be greeted b!
burgomaster who never allowed th'
enemy to thrust aside. and always as
serted the majority and authority of
the municipality which he represented
where I should have the privilege o
meeting a cardinal who was the tru'
shepherd of his flock, the majesty o
whose spiritual authority awed ever
the unscrupulous enemy himself. wht
knew that they did not dare lay hant
upon this servant of God, and where
should have the privilege of grnspint
the hand of a general who never surren
dered. and on every hand should mee
men who had known their duty ant
had done it. -,
"I could not come to Belgium until
felt that I was released from my duty
I sought in this way to honor you b,
- which | know
should meet with here. When | rea!lz
that at nv back are the fighting stand
ards of Belgium it rleases me to thlnl
that 7 am in the presence of those wit
knew how to shed their blood, as vel
as do their duty. for their country
They need no encomium from me.
al would rather turn for a momen
with Won to the significance of the plac
which Belgium bears in this contest
which. thank God, is ended. L cam
here because I wished to associate my
self in counsel with the men who / Kne'
had felt so deeply the pulse of this ter
rible struggle. and | wanted to CON
also because I reaiize!. ! believe, this
ReIgium and her part in the war is /
one sense the key of the whole struggle
because the violation of Belgium wa
the call to duty which aroused the ma
tions.
Invasion First Outrage
''The enemy committed many out
RACES in this war. gentlemen. but tn
initial outrage was the fundamenta
outrage of all. They, with that insolen
Indifference. violated tac sacredness q
treaties. They showed that they di
not care for the honor af any pledge
They showed that they did not care fo
the independence of any nation, whCthe
il had raised its hand against them q
NOT. That they were ruthless in thei
determination to have their whim q
their pleasure. Therefore, it was I'll
violation of Belgium that awakened tn
world to the realization of the characte
of the struggle.
"a very interesting thing came OF
of that struggle which seems almo'
like an illogical consequence. One
the first things the representatives {
Belgium said to me after the wa
began was that they did not want the
neutrality guaranteed. They did NJ
want any neutrality. They wante
equality, not because, as | understoC
them, their neutrality was insecure, b,
because their neutrality put them upc
different basis of action from 9TH
peoples. In their natural and prop
pride they desired to occupy a pla
= tndt WIS not eNCeptlOudi, DuL IN Il
ranks of free peoples under all go'
ernments.
81 honored this instinct IN them, al
1t was for that reason that the fir
time l had occasion to speak of VIII
the war might accomplish for Belgiur
= l spoke"
So Belgium has. so to say, once mo
come into her own through this de
valley of suffering through which :
has gone.
"Not only that but her cause h
linked the governments Of the civiIiz
world together. They have realized the
common duty. They have drawn t
gether as II instinctiveIy into n leag
OF right. They have put the who
power of organized manhood behind tl
conception of justice, which Is comm,
to mankind.
THAT is the significance. gentleme
OF the league of nations. The league
nations was an inevitable consequen
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