The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-20

S2t{ srSSs sAepkesd OF his flock
~ Abeney of whose spiritual
ke4kv S} even the interruptions
i -. hiunaaf Who knew tina: they did
TnrN ~ q hand upon this ser
J. o6 u CD ana where should have
u ~ nf1vilsgs Of graphing the hand OF
m 8enoral who mover surrendered, ana
#G& ovury hand should meet men who
kkA4 known their duty and done IT.
Nh 81 could not come to Belgium until
I'LL foat that I wAG released from my
i 3u<I. / sought In this way to honor
lyon by recognizing the spirit which
4 Knew I should meet with here.
q a .sWhen / realize that at my back
kAre the lighting standards of Belgium.
MI piesses me 10 think that am In
] - presence of those who knew how
l ~ shed their blood as well as do
Nheir duty for their country. They
! heed no econium from me.
II would rather turn for moment
With you to the significance of the
place which Belgium bears in this con-
i teet which, thank God. is ended.
Key 81 Whole Struggle.
II came hexe because / wished to
! Asrpcaate. myself in counsel with the
1aen who knew had felt so deeply
! f5fE pulse Of this terrible struggle, and
Z
Ned that Belgium and her part in the
NGf n IN one sense the key OF the
whole struggle. because the violation
.nf Belgium was the call to duty which
aroused the nations.
1.-THE enemy committed many out
RACES in this war. gentlemen. but the
initial outrage was the fundamental
outrage OF all. They, with an inso-
fens- indifference. violated the sacred
atS q n "a
they did not care for the independence
Of any nation, whether it had raised
TITS hand against them or not; that they
were ruthless in their determination
70 have their within at their pleasure.
Therefore it was the violation OF
Belgium tina. awakened the world TO
their fcaltEation of the character OF
the struggle. A very interesting thing
06fae out Of that struggle. which seems
alm6st like an illogical consequence.
One of the first things that the repre-
sentative OF Belgium said TO me after
the war began was that they did not
want their neutrality guaranteed: they
did not want any neutrality They
wanted equality, not because, as I I'M
6arStood them. their neutrality was
insecure, but because their neutrality
put. them upon different basis of ac-
ton from other peoples in their nat
uEAl and proper pride.
They desired a place that was not
exceptional. but in the ranks of free
peoples under all governments.
hpnored this instinct in them and 1t
was for that reason that the first time
! had occasion TO speak Of what the
war might accomplish for Belgium.
spoke OF her winning a place Of equal
-itv among the nations.
Comes Into Her Own.
= $50 Belgium has, so to say. once
more COME into her own through this
deep valley OF suffering through which
she has gore. Not ogfv that, ntit her
cause has linked the governments OF
the civilized world together as If in
1ttnctiyeiy. into a league of rights.
J. They have put the whole power of
a0rkantzed mankind behind this con-
.ceptfon of justice which is common to
mankind.
n That is the significance, gentlemen.
OF the. league OF nations. The league of
nations was an inevitable consequence
+nf this war. IT was a league OF rights,
!. and no thoughtful statesman who let
his thought run into the future could
wish for 8 moment to slacken these
bonds
= Ills hrst though. would be to
y strengthen them and to perpetuate this
GomolHaliOn OF the great governments
I of the world for the maintenance OF
Justice. The league of nations Is a
. child Of this great war. for II Ia the
i expression OF those prevalent revolu-
tions which grew on. of the temporary
necessities of this great struggle ant
amy nation which declines to adhere
tn this covenant. deliberately turns
4 away from the most telling appeal that
X has ever been made to its conscience
and to its manhood.
The nation that wishes to use the
u league OF nations for it's convenience
and not for the service OF the rest OF
the world. deliberately chooses to turn
/. back to those bad days of selfish con-
test when every nation thought flrst
-Knd always q Itself and not of its
neighbors: thought OF its rights and
forgot its duties: thought of fts power
and overlooked sEeereHsie+ii++s7-
Those bad days. I hope. are gone
q And the great moral power, backed. il
.FTEeed be, by the great physical power
ri the civilized nations OF the world
Il will now stand firm for the mainten
Ance OF the fne partnership which we
hSve thus inausurated.
VIII Punish violation.
], 1T cannot be otherwise. Perhap!
/ the conscience of some chancellortes
was asleep, and the outrage of Ger
one great nation violate every prin'
4 ctple of right without beginning to
y. know what the principles OF right are
and to love them. and to despise those
t~who violate them. and TO form the firm
4 resolve that such a violation shall now
be punished and in the future be pre-
rvented
These are the feelings with which
~ have come TO Belgium. and II has
/ eRen my thought to propose to the
sacongress Of the United States as a
i fecognition, as welcome, OF Belgium
into her new status of complete inde-
y pAndence, to raise the mission OF the
s*Cyuited tSates OF America TO Belgium
B 70 the rank Of an embassy and send
hAA ambassador.
s This Is the rank which Belgium en-
3pys Ia our esteem Why should she
Il hot enjoy II in form and in fact SO.
Il GAntlemen. we turn to the future, M.
\ AymAns has spoken in true terms Of
A4ha necessities that lie ahead Of Bel
2ium and of many another nation that
n Has coma through this great war
We have shown Belgium in the
FERNS which he has been generous
AMo0xh TO rccire. our Friendship In the
70 g. -