Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-25
Allies Confident This Country
Will See War Through, He
Tells Newspaper Men.
CERTAIN ALL RESOURCES
WILL BE USED IN TASK
British Foreign Secretary Pays High
Compliment to United States and
to Hero of the Marne."

No treaty could increase our
unbounded confidence that the
United States, having come into
the war, will see it through to the
great end we all hope for"
In these words Arthur James
Balfour, British foreign secretary.
today, addressing a group OF
newspaper men. assured the
American people that "Our con-
fdence. in the alliance and the as
surances of this government is
not based on such shallow consid-
erations as arise from treaties"
Mr.. Balfour greeted the newspaper
men in the drawing room of the home
secretary of state. which has been
placed at his disposal during his stay
in Washington.
He spoke slowly, thoughtfully. and
held in his hands notes. to which he
referred only once. He did not remain
for questions
Before the address it again was en-
phasized that the commission desires
that nothing said during the series of
interviews with newspaper men be
construed as offering recommends
tion, or. even a suggestion as to the
course this country should pursue
Appreciates Reception Here.
Tall. impressive in appearance. wear
ing . long frock coat, bow tie with its
ends concealed under a low collar. sur-
gestive Of American statesmen of q half
century ago. Mr.. Baifour appeared,
smiling. gracious. and began by ex-
pressing his appreciation for the re-
ception accorded the commission in this
country.
With evident traces of deep feeling
the British minister spoke of the losses
to English manhood the struggle had
involved. He referred to dispatches in
today's papers that the son of Bonar
Law, chancellor Of the exchequer, was
reported wounded and missing.
He referred to the coming Of the
French commission, and especially to
Marshal Joffre. calling him the hero
or the Marne." and characterized that
battle as the most decisive in the his
tory of the world.
L am told that there are some doubt :
ing critics" he said. who say the OBJ
icy OF tne commissions in coming to
this country Is to inveigle the United
states out of its traditional policies
ana embark it upon career opposed
10 al! Its teachings. Such an attempt
would De utterly unnecessary and fu
tile. II there is any certainty in hu-
man affairs it is that the United States
having come into the war will see II
through.
Welfare of Mankind at Stake.
For two and half years." Mr.. Bal
TOUR continued, people here in this
country have watched the great and
bloodstained drama abroad. and with
each passing month the conviction has
grown that this was no ordinary strug-
gle involving a few miles Of territory
or some small national ambitions. bur
nothing short of the whole welfare OF
mankind"
such a cause, Mr.. Balfour said. could
not fail TO affect the United States.
And now, when after all these
months you feel impelled to enter tha
struggle. l am certain you will throw
INTO II all your resources, incompar-
ably the richest in the world; all your
Inah-poWer and your Will and effort
l am sure nothing will turn you from
your consecrated task until success
crowns our joint efforts"
Mr.. Balfour. speaking of the arrival |
OF the French commission here today,
said:
We rejoice to think that the hero
OF that battle (the Marne) has come
to join US in laying before the people of
the United States our gratitude for the
INFINITE aid and moral announcement
given to the allied cause I am certain
that the reception accorded to them
will be not less warm or heartfelt than
that so ungrudgingly given us"
Talks of What the War Means.
1T is. of course. impossible" Mr.. Bal
four went on, ''for you to realize in con-
crete detail all that the war has meant TO
those engaged in it for the past two and a
half years. Such feeling can come only
with the actual experience We, on the
other side. have been living in an at
mosphere of war since August, 1914, and
cannot move about in the streets or 20
about our daily business without having
ever present what war means
For instance Mr.. Balfour continued.
I'VE arrived on Sunday and / went out in
the evening after dark. l had at the
time a strange feeling which | did not
diihis &c dt lnen IL came to me
that for two and a half years | had not
walked on n street such as | was then
on. There has not been in London or in
the whole United Kingdom street in
which. after dark. the whole community y
has not been wrapped in darkness This
Is very small matter. perhaps but typi-
cal. So. also, typical of the rest of Enc
land. Is the fact that four members of the
cabinet have lost sons in the war. and
now. by tGday's papers. l see that a f1ffb
Bonar Law. has been similarly afflicted -
Welcome the French Commission.
Mr.. Balfour and his party left thar
residence shortly before noon to go 70
the navy yard to welcome the French
commission. They had ordered a great
bouquet Of various roses of France for
presentation to the commission. and
these flowers bore an Inscription which
read: 'Vive L'Alliance, homage a Ia
mission Francaise de la part de leurs
confrers Brittainique." which, trans
lated. means Hail to the alliance
honor to the French mission ON the
part of their British brothers."
Mr.. Balfour had luncheon with the
Italian ambassador, was to visit the
Treasury Department in the afternoon
Continued on Seco3d T'ase.l