Evening star., 1920-11-15
BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
Of The Star and Chicago Daily

BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
News.
ROME. Italy. October Ill send
herewith a translation. made by my
self, Of an important document In
. my opinion certain views reported by
the Belgian minister as having been
expressed to him by President Wilson
or Col. House are nothing short of
sensational. If accepted as accurate
ly reported by Baron Moncheur they
would seem to show that from 1915 on
the President desired war with Ger
many, that in 1917 he deemed an en-
fente alliance after the war better
guaranty Of peace than league of
nations open to all, that he desired the
United States to enter such an alll-
arce, that he was willing to make the
extent Of annexations after victory
tory and that he did not consider the
restitution of Alsace-Lorraine one of
the chief aims of the war and would
have been willing to make an other
wise satisfactory peace without 1t. !.
The letter from which l made the
accompanying translation is, think
an accurate copy of the original re-
port Of Baron Moncheur. l am sorry
that a promise prevents me from say
ing how it came into my hands. II
follows:
washington. D. c., August "A,
1e17-His Excellency. NJ de Broque-
willie. Mr.. Minister: The President re-
ceived me yesterday at farewell au-
dience in the most friendly fashion.
] led the conversation along the line
indicated in the written instructions
given me at the time of my departure
for the United States. began by in
dicating the fundamental demands
which Belgium will put forward when
peace is negotiated, that is to say: i.
The re-establishment of Belgium in
her territorial integrity with complete
and absolute independence, political as
well as economic. 2. The reparation
by the enemy of the damage he has
caused us, the extension OF which
showed to Mr.. Wilson in it's entirety.
THE President, having admitted
passed to our other desires (desid-
erata).
Concerning Luxembourg.
'First of all. the question of Luxem-
burg. with which. by the way, my inter-
1ocutor did not seem completely unfa-
miliar. ] explained with care the mo-
tives which justify our claim to see
the grand duchy return to Belgium in
case it should be decided at the peace
negotiations that this territory can no
longer exist as an Independent state.
''Mr. Wilson agreed in principle. He
merely asked me if it were certain that
the citizens of the grand duchy would
prefer to be reunited with Belgium
rather than Joined to another country.
'In fact he added. you know that I
belive firmly in the principle that no
state can be disposed of against it's
will, the little ones no more than the
big. Besides, hold that if durable
peace is to be made it must provoke
as little discomfort as possible
II then explained that an immense
majority in the grand duchy would
favor a return to Belgium in the
eventuality of the loss of their inde-
pendence. / recalled at this moment
the enthusiastic welcome they had
given our sovereign on his official visit
there before the war.
Next, / broached the question of the
Scheldt, which I briefly explained on
. the basis of the memorandum of Baron
Beyens. I concluded bys saying that
the kings government desired the
question to be settled automatically
at the peace negotiations in such a
manner as to allow Antwerp to dispose
freely Of the river in time of peace and
TO make use of it in time of war, thus
guaranteeing to Belgium the right to