Show BElGIANS PLACE RE L a f PR ro- ro T i T TODAY nAY In Reply He Tells Them U.S. U.S. U.S. U. U S. S Must Not Now Form or Express Judg Judg- ment w WASHINGTON ASHl Sept The 1110 The Belgian commission which comes to protest against alleged German atrocities In Bel- Bel glum slum was received cd In the tho east room of tho the White house a to today ar b by President Wil Wil- son Accompanied b by Minister the commissioners Jers a assembled at th state slate de do- department e- e just before 2 p 1 p. p in and were re received re- re b by Secretary Bryan who then took them over to the Ithe White House President Wilson said to tu the commission commission commis commis- sion ilon I Permit me to say iy y with what sincere I pleasure I r receive you ou a as representatives of tho the kIn king of or the Belgians a a. people for or whom the people of or th the United States feel so strong p a friendship and admiration admira lion Ion a a kl king lor or or whom they entertain aln so BO sincere a a respect e ct t anti and express J m hope my hope that we ma may have ha haman man many opportunities of ot carping and deserving their regard You Vou aio aro not ml mistaken in believing that t the they people of or this h g country love p justice seek seck the true true- paths paUls of or progress and 1111 have havea c ca a p. p regard for tor or the rights of ot hu hu- hu manity It It 1 la Is a matter of or profound pride to me that I 1 am permitted for Cor a time to represent represent sent Bent such cuch a people and to bo be their spokesman spokes spokes- spokesman man and ancl I am um honored that your our king J ln should have turned to lo mo me In time of distress dis dis- 11 distress tress as to lo one who would wish on h behalf of the people he represents to consider tho thin claims to the impartial sympathy of or mankind 1 o of a n nation which deems Itself wronged I thank you ou for the document you Ou ha have hau u put in n my hands containing th the re result result re- re sult of an nn investigation In made macho b by bg a 1 Judicial committee appointed b by the Belgian Hellan government government gov JO to look into the tho matter of or which you vou como come to lo speak It H shall have o m my most attentive ll perusal an and my most thoughtful consideration em You will I am sure Hure not expect meto mo me moto to sa say more Pr Presently I pray God ver very vury soon this war will bo be over The day o of accounting l will th then n come when I take It for granted tho the nations o of Europe will willa a assemble to determine a settlement Where hero wrongs have been committed their consequences find and the thu relative responsibility responsibility Involved will be assessed The na nations of the tho world ha have hae e CorI fortunately fortunately for for- h by agreement mule mudo a plan for tor I such a n r reckoning rc and settlement settlement- What 1 such uch n u plan cannot lom compass ns the opinion c o of mankind the final arbiter ler In such l matters mat mat- I ter will supply It would be lie unwise un e. e It ItI d would be tm premature mu ture for or a single Insle government government govern govern- O ern I ment however howe fortunately t separated t from the present resent struggle Ip It would bo be Inconsistent inconsistent Incon Incon- with the neutral position of ot nn any nn nation which like this has no 1 part In Inthe Inthe inthe the con contest lest to lo forni or express a final Jud Judgment 1 need not assure you OU Unit that this conclusion conclusion con lon elusion In which I In Instinctively feel that you ro will yourselves concur Is ls spoken oI oten frankly because In W warm rm friendship nn and andas andas as th till best means menns of or perfect understanding understand understand- ing Ingo between n nIS us IS an understanding 11 bayed based I Nt 1 on 1 mutual respect t admiration and cot cor I dial You are most welcome and wo we nr are aro honored honorl 11 th that it you OU should hould have chosen n us ns as the friends before whom you could IC lay ICart art any matter of vital consequence to lo yourselves our elvell In the confidence that your cause w would be bo understood an and met in the tho Continued on pogo page 13 IL I t R BELGIANS PLACE Continued from pago page t. t I. I Intended Intended same spirit In which It I was conceived ann and WASHINGTON Sept 16 The The text of the statement of at the Belgian high commission com corn mission presented to President Wilson lson at fit the tho White House klouse toda today b by Carton D. D was as n follows Excellency His majesty tho the king kin kinor of or the Belgians Bel Bel- gians glans has ha charged carge us with a special mission mission mis mis- sion slon to tho the president of ot tho the United States Let Lt me say eay BY to you ou how much wo we feel ourselves honored to have havo been called caled to express the sentiments of ot our king I and or of our whole nation to the illustrious statesman whom the American people have called cled to the tle tle highest dignity of ot the commonwealth As far as I am concerned I have havo al already already al al- ready redy been able during a previous trip to 10 ful fully appreciate the noble virtues of the American nation and I naton am happy to tako talo this opportunity to express express' the ad admiration ad- ad admiration with Ith which they inspired me Ever since her independence was first frt established Belgium has has' been declared neutral in perpetuity This neutrality guaranteed b by tho the powers has bas recent recently been violated b by one of them Had we consented to abandon our neutrality for forthe forthe forthe the benefit of or one of at the belligerents we would have e betrayed out our obligations towards the others and It was the sense cf of our International obligations as as wenas well wen as that of our dignity and honor that has driven us ua to resistance resistance- Tho The consequences suffered b by the Belgian nation naton were vere not confined purely purel to the harm occasioned by the forced march of ot nn on invading arm army This army not only seized a great portion of ot our territory o- o but It I committed incredible acts or of violence the nature of ot which Is con con- contrary to the rights of mankind Peaceful Inhabitants were mas massacred defenseless women omen and children were outraged outraged out out- raged open and undefended towns were svere destroyed historical an and l religious monuments monuments ments merits were reduced to dus dust t. t and the famous fa famous fa- fa motis library of ot the University of Louvain Louvain Lou Lou- vain was given cn to the flames fames Our government o has appointed a Ju Judicial iLl ju- commission to mal make e an official in investigation In- In and determine the responsibility bully and I will wi have the honor excellency excel excel- lenc lency to hand overto over to the over over- you ou proceeding proceedings proceed proceed- In ings ing of ot the Inquiry In In this frightful holocaust which Is sweeping all ni over o Europe the he United States State have adopted a neutral attitude And It Is for this reason that your jour count country standing aI apart art from either cither one of ot the tho belligerents Is In tho the best position to jud Judge e without bins and partiality the conditions Under whIch the war is being WA waged ged It I It wa was a at t the request even a at t the Initiative of ot the United States th that t nil all al civilized n nations have formulated and adopted at aL Tho Hague a law regulating the rights and U usages of or warWe war var We e refuse to believe c that o war oar has hasa a abolished the family of civilized powers or the regulations to which they have freely Creely consented The Tue American people have at always wars displayed dis played Its respect for Justice Its Is search for tor progress and an Instinctive e a attachment attachment attach attach- ment for tor the laws lans of huma humanity I Therefore It has haa won n. n moral morl Influence ence dice that Is reco recognized ed nl d b by tho the entire entre o world It I Is for this reason teason that Belgium lum bound lound a as It li Is with wih ties tics of commerce and tel Increasing friendship turns to the tho American Amen Ameri can people at this time to let It I know the real truth of the present situation Re Resolved to lo continue continua its Is unflinching defense de do rense of ot Its sovereignty o and Independence it I t d deems I it I a dut duty to bring to the attention attention atten- atten tion lon of ot the tue civilized world the Innumerable ble gr grave ve br breaches aches of ot right of mankind of ot which she he has b been en a victim alcUm At At tho the VOl very moment wo we were I ia H lug InK HK Belgium the king recalled to u us hl hiS liM trip to the United d States and the vivid and strong Impression your powerful and virile irUe civilization left lert on his mind Our Our faith In your our s our confidence con con- In your 1 0 Justice In your spirit of generosity and sympathy all al these dictated dIe dic titled out our wiesent J mission mIssion Mr r. Carton cuton de handed to President President dent Wilson Ion th the re results of or tho the official in- in quiT In instituted ted tt h by the Belgian government govern govern- overn- overn i In iii ment men Belgium showing In detail tho the destruction I |