New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-24
WHITLOCK GUEST
OF LOTOS CLUB
Minister to Belgium Laud-
ed for Services at
Battle Front.
WORK MOST NOTABLE
FEATURE OF THE WAR
Speeches Guarded, and That of
Belgian Minister of Finance
Withheld from Public.

The Lotos Club had Brand Whitock.
Minister 20 Belgium. "a its guest of
honor last night. Out Of respect for
his official position the dinner was
private, and only such portions OF the
speeches made by Mr.. Whitlock and
the others as could have no possible
political or international significance
were allowed TO pass the censor Inc
speech made by His Excelleney NJ. A.
Van de Were. Belgian Minister OF
Finance, in tribute TO Whitlock's work
in Belgium since the war began was
suppressed entirely.
Whitlock was introduced by Chester
6. Lord, vice-president Of the club, VINO
was toastmaster.
For obvious reasons" Mr.. Lord
said. 1--WE may not this evening discuss
the cause Of the war or the attituoe
Of those conducting 1t, but We may
sneak without reserve of the splendid
work done by our splendid representa-
,ives at the European capitals. Their
tasks are performed under the most
,y,iro circumstances. They have to
Zeal with men made savage by the
savagery of war, and not to single
ore Of these representatives has the
task been more Overwhelmingly compI-
Gated than to our honored guest OF
the evening.
"He has been in the very thick OF
tho fighting. Because Of the geo
grapbicaI situation of his post, he has
had TO deal with Frenchmen, Germans
Beleians. Englishmen and the people OF
the Netherlands alike, and ne has done
so with fidelity, fairness and a su-
preme regard for the interests Of
humanity that have won for him the
praise and admiration of the entire
world
In his brief address Whitlock made
no reference 20 the political situation
here or in Europe, nor did he speak in
any way Of Belgium or the war. He
spoke comewhat philosophically about
democracy and the American spirit, as
typified in its ideal by Lincoln.
'1n him." he said, "the American
ideal was most perfectly exemplihed.
and it was exemplified in him because
after the illusions of life had gone he
retained his ideals and his faith in
them. II was thus exemplitied in him
because in addition to his wisdom, his
gentleness, his patience, his hope and
his faith he he'd that other great
American quality Of humoT, which
saved him in every situation, and by
American hum0r / mean that instinc-
tive sense of human values that en-
ables one TO Sc all things, or most
things, in their proper relations"
Melville L. 3tone, of the Associated
Press, spoke of the way in which the
unframed diplomatists sent from this
country often proved themselves the
betters Of the carefully schooled dip
lomats of the European nations. To the
court of ST. James's, he said, no other
government has sent the equals of the
Americans that have filled that post
during the last century,, mentioning
particularly for their distinguished
services there Benjamin Franklin. John
Adams, Rufus King, James Monroe.
Washington Irving, Martin Van Buren,.
Edward Everett, the two Baysrds,
Charles +. Adams, James Russell Low
ell, Edward Phelps, John Hay and Jo-
seph II. Choate.
These were giants" he said. "and no
one Of them was sehooled in diplomacy.
One who for fourteen years was presi-
dent Of this club, Whitelaw Reid. served
with great distinction as Minister to
France and Ambassador 10 England. Yet
he had no preliminary training for the
work"
He went on 70 speak of how Whit
lock, through his understanding hu-
manity, rose TO the difficulties of his
position, and how he, with Herbert
Hoover, organized the relief work for
BelEsum, which he said would stand
cut in history as the most notable feat
IRE Of the war.