The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-05
British Foreign Minister Ad-
dresses e. s. House of Rep.
President Breaks All Precedent
by Sitting in Gallery.
LIBERTY AT STAKE
Free Peoples Draw Closer for
Mutual Protection.
Military DespOts Take Adyan-
tage of Civilized Peace.

washington, May 5.-Wlth the
President and Mrs. Wilson in the gal
lery joining in the applause, the house
of representatives this afternoon
staged one of the most spectacular.
widest patriotic demonstrations in its
history in greeting British Foreign
Minister Arthur ]. Balfour
The reception given Balfour came as
a climax to the manner in which
members of the British and French
missions now in this country have
been received elsewhere.
Representatives, senators, allied and
neutral diplomatic representatives and
just plain citizens, who packed and
damned the galleries, Joined in the
wild greeting to Britains foreign min
lister.
AS the demonstration progressed.
President Wilson left his seat in the
gallery to go to the house floor. There
he shook hands with Balfour amidst
renewed cheering. The British foreign
minister addressed the house, bitterly
denouncing Prussian autocracy and
paying tribute to Americas entrance
into the war which, he said, must be
completed successfully to the allies and
America, if democracy is to live.
Attacks Germany Savagely.
Balfour attacked Germany savagely
as the house cheered and President
Wilson applauded vigorously.
Germany" Balfour declared, lis
remorsely -. and n.,,, unsor ahiuot ny
dominate the civilization of mankind.
1T is confidently predicted that the
| people of the world will surely con-
| quer."
| 1t was the first time as far as cap
itol historians could find that any
president of the United States had ap-
peared in the galleries.
For five minutes President Wilson
sat there unnoticed. Then some mem
Der looked up and saw him. The
member started applauding. The
house. slow to realize that the presi-
dent was a spectator. finally began
| cheering. The president rose in re-
Spouse and stood still until the house
| quoted for a moment before the ar
rival of the Balfour party.
The house rose again and cheered
as Balfour, on the arm of Chairman
Flood, of the house foreign affairs
committee, walked to the speaker S
desk, shook hands with Speaker Clark
and stood before the members.
Clark Introduces BaIfour.
| Mr.. Balfour was Immediately intro
| duced by Speaker Clark and addressed
| the house.
Mr.. Balfour said in part:
will you permit me. on behalf of
| my friends and myself, to offer you
1
the rare and valued honor which you
have done us by receiving US here to-
| day We all feel the greatness of
| the honor, but ! think to none of us
can it come home SO closely as to one
who like myself has been for AZ years
in the service of free assembly like
your own.
/ Ladies and gentlemen, these two
| assemblies are the greatest and the
| Oldest of the free assemblies now gov
erning great nations in the world The
history indeed of the two is very diff
ferent. The beginnings of the British
! house of common go back to a dim
historic past and its full rights and
status have only been conquered and
permanently secured fter centuries of
/ political struggle.
Your fate has been a happier one
You were called into existence at a
much later stage of social develop
and perfected and all your powers de-
termined and your place in the con-
stitution secured beyond chance of
revolution, but tho the history of these
two great assemblies is different, each
of them represents the great demo-
cratic principle to which we look for
ward as the security for the future
peace of the world.
Great Moment i'm World History.
Mr.. Speaker, the compliment paid
4 to the mission from Great Britain by
such an assembly and upon such an
Continued on Page Three)