New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-12
Balfour Overwhelmed by
Spirit of Reception at
City Hall
Head of Commission
Is Guarded by Police
Extra Precautions Taken
Because Circulars Called
Him Home Rule Enemy

Joffre, rallied so CALAMITY yesterday "a
the task Of making the British Wal
Commission welcome that what might
we'll have been a painful anti-climaS
achieved the full flavor of triumph.
For r number Of reasons reason:
aside from the fact that the city al.
ready has outdone itself in honorine
the earlier arrivals enthusiasm did
not run nearly so high as on the day
when New York paid its high, whole
hearted homage to the hero Of th'
Marine But the crowds were yet Sc
big and the reclamation so vociferou'
that Mr. Arthur James Bslfour found
himself choking as he replied to Mayor
Mitchers and Mr.. Choste's addresses Of
welcome in the City Hall
Mr.. Balfour was speaking extempo'
raneously. and after a minute or two
his emotions were so stirred that ne
abandoned the effort.
Overcome by Emotion
II know my words have at most but
coldly and impcrfectly expressed the
fervor Of my feelings" he said, hur-
riedly closing. "You must make up in
Imagination for any deficiency which
the reality may possess. for do assure
you from my heart that never have
been more deeply stirred by any occa-
sion or by any cause than BY this occa-
sion and this cause in the City Of New
York"
Some fifteen minutes after Mr.. Bal
four had left City Hall with his party,
still visibly affected, he came to an
other honor For the route north had
been so mapped out that he, more than
any of his countrymen typifying Eng
land to the American mind, should pass
in triumph under the Washington Arch.
Temporarily the inscription above the
arch had been covered by banner
which proclaimed:
1.-THE World Must Be Made Safe for
Democracy"
In the trip under the arch the Wis
itors might have discovered deep sig
nifcance. It meant, symbolically, that
the differences Of 1879 and 1912 were
forgotten 10 the common cause of 1917;
that old wounds had healed ard left no
scars; that hands which have been
stretching toward each other across
the sea these many years, ever draw
ing closer, had finally met and gripped.
Welcome Less Spectacular
A crowd Of more than 900, 900 turned
out TO welcome Marshal Jotfre and
the French commission; a crowd of
less than half that number turned
out for Balfour and the British COM
mission. France had sent her greatest
Reneral-and she had got him to New
York first. Britain had sent as her
representative one to whom it had been
allotted to fight his battles and bear
his burden behind the lines. Frances
marshal had come in his Haunting cape
Of blue and red, gold-cncrusted cap.
Britain had sent forth her venerable
Secretary Of State for Foreign Affairs,
the man who had been her Premier, in a
frock coat such as New York can see
thousands OF times day in Fifth Ave-
nue..
Joffre had brought suite of resplen-
dent officers, gay with braid and epau-
lettes. In Balfour's train more SOM
bre military note was struck.
Britain, thus, hadn't measured up in
theatric values. Again, Joffre's party
arrived just as the skyscrapers of
lower Broadway were eXuding their
hundreds Of thousands 10 swell the
street crowds beyond police control.
OF Joffre a full and lasting view was
to be had; of Balfour only a glimpse.
Joffre had come to city of universal
friendliness. His military and police
escort was purely guard Of honor,
moving ahead of the motor parade.
Balfour. the police had felt, would need
a protective guard-not that the over
whelming majority OF New Workers. was
anything but friendly, but because
there were known 10 be many in the
city VINO considered him an enemy. OF
the correctness OF their carly surmise
the police were sure when, few hours
before the British commissions ar
rival. it was learned circulars attacking
him as a bulwark Of the opposition 10
Home Rule were being freely distrib-
uted in the streets.
1000 More Police Added
So il was that, whereas 800 police
men were considered sufficient num-
her for the Joffre detail, $500 uni
formed men were lined almost shoulder
70 shoulder along the streets through
which the Balfour party was 10 pass.
Evidences Of these extra precautions
were 20 be seen long before the arrival
Of the special train which brought the
British commissioners from Washing
ton. IN the crowd of 1000 which
filed Battery Park-the jam was no
less here than IL had been when Joffre
came-more than two hundred detee-
tives mingled. Moreover. wider space
had been roped of FOR the loading OF
the Official motors.
The ropes were so placed that the
nearest OF the oniookers was hun
dred yards from the point at which
the commission and the Mayors COM
mittee entered their machines; and
those whose credentials had carried
them within the inclosure were obllged
10 establish their identity as the
rightful holders. Inspector John Cray
commanding az the detective bureau
who directed the distribution OF the
plainclothes men. also had details on
rooftops along the line.
There had been little change in the
decorative scheme. The same flags
which had flown for Joffre few for Bal.
four. and hsrbor craft again dressed
ship" with their signal hags.
Train Ahead Of Time
The special train bearing the com.
mission was due at Communipaw a,
ais O'clock L arrived ssyeral min.