The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-07
Receives Baptism of Fire as
After Dinner Speaker
in London
MANY PROMINENT
STATESMEN ATTEND
Cordial Ovation Given New Ambassa-
dor as He Rises to Speak.
Grey and Roberts on
Programme

London. June 6.-Wa,ter Hines Page the
of ST. James. tonight received his hap.
tism of fire as an after dinner speaker
in London at a welcoming banqlet git en-
in his honor b. the Pilgrims society
Field Marshal Earl Roberts presided and
lad as supporters at the head Of the
table Sir Edward Grey. the British FIR
eign secretary; the Earl of Ealshary
former lord chancellor. the Earl of Aber-
deem, lord lieutenant Of Ireland and Au-
land
Three hundred and fifty pilgrims. among
them many prominent Britishers an1 rep
resentatve Americans, attended. Mr.
Page was welcomed in speeches bs Earl
Roberts and Sir Edward Grey, the latter
being given a great ovation when he was
referred to by ether speakers as "the
peacemalSer of Europe"
Prince Collier, the author. who after
Mr.. Page. was the principal American
speaker, said the two greatest peace
makers of Europe were Earl Roberts.
who had made peace from Kybcr Pass to
Capetown, and Sid Edward Grey, who
took In hand the hornets nest of TIE
Balkans in this year of grace" His ref
erence to Emperor William as that great
and strong man who is the true f,ieno
OF England was received with trereg-
dous applause.
Is Warmly Greeted
Ambassador Page was warmly greeted
when he rose "The time is l,ng past
need, of makeshifts or make believes in
our intercourse said Mr.. Page Surely
1t augurs well for tie spread Of Justice
and fair dealing and eor the firmer estab-
lishment of the peace of the world that
the two nations OF the English speaking
folk speak frankly 10 one another in oCr
dealings. Blood answers to blood and orr
fundamental qualities of manhood are
the same.
1T Is inspiring spectacle and his
tory can show none ether siich--these two
kindred nations, one each side of the
well ploughed ocean that unites then.
standing at the endtof a century or peaoe,
liberty loving as of old and forward look
ing, confident of the bounds of freedom
and yet regarding government as living
and ever changing instrument of human
progress made by man for mans q l.
vancement and rot for the mere r,ain-
tenance of any political creed. This is an
eugury for the progress of the world that
shames all structures of society whore
mans lot is stationary or his philosophy
dipped in glooni.
Speaks of Mission
Mr. Pages reference 10 his predecessors
as ambassadors to the court of st. James
whom he named, was warmly received as
was also his description of James Bryce
as persona sra "a to the United States and
persona gratissina to the American peo-
pie. Mr. Page spoke of Americas mis-
sion as that of the making of rlan. ard
in conclusion referred to the great Eng
lish speaking democracy, which. in every
part of the world. has the same large
aims to keep man free and preserve the
peace of the world"
1.-THE ambassador of the United States
in this country mas dual capacity-that
of ambassador and that of honored guest
and friend" said Sir Edward Grey 'Tf
he comes to us with proposals froro his
government with the idea of making more
remote any appeal to bind force he will
find In this country and in the British
government a ready response. If there
should be a proposal to make war he
tween nations more remote II Is fro the
United States that such a proposal can
be made with full dignity and with good
feeling which is beyond suspicion
"rhe peace between England and