The Washington times., 1917-04-24
FRENCH WAR ENJOYS
MAKE TRIP SAFELY
Will Join British Mission Here
TomorroW-Exact Time
Kept Secret.
tcontInued from FIrst Page.l

kCOnllnuoo AEOnl T Lce o8c.I
down to the business "of being OF
whatever service we can to America"
This afternoon Foreign Secretary
Balfour Will pay his respects to Mrs.
Wilson and Mrs. Lansing. Accom-
panied by Hugh Gibson. of the State
Department, appointed as his official
aide, Mr.. Balfour will visit the White
House at 4:30 o'clock. Half an hour
later he will call at the Lansing
home.
Service at U. 8. DisposaL
Announcement was made that the
entiPe personnel OF the commission
would be at the disposal Of the Uni
ted States Government "as long as
their services may be desired and for
what ever purpose they may be want
ed"
In conformity to their policy OF
hands off," the Britons will not turn
a wheel until asked to do so. Armed
with q wealth OF most valuable and
essential information for a nation en-
tering a world war, and with heads
filled with knowledge born of bitter
experience throughout almost three
years OF conflict, the visitors stand
ready to cooperate to the utmost In
shaping this Governments war policy.
/ It has been repeatedly emphasized
by the visitors, however, that 1--WE
have no intention OF interfering with
your show"
Judging from the warmth, cordial
ity, and enthusiasm with which the
members of the commission have been
welcomed by high officials OF all
branches Of the United States Gov
ernment, there Is every reason for be-
lieving President Wilson, the MEM
bers Of the Cabinet, and others high
in authority will Immediately and
| gratefully avail themselves of the
propitious opportunity which presents
itself.
Visit Appreciated Here.
In government circles today the
! visit OF the commission was referred
to as a godsend. and Of incalculable
value to the United States"
Foreign Secretary Balfour called
the members of the commission to-
gether today at the home of Breck-
enridge Long. where part Of the
Britons are stopping. and conferred
with them over final plans for CO.
operating with the United States
Government.
Mr.. Balfour urged the members of
the commission to do everything with
in their power to be of service and
to speak with the utmost frankness
to officials of the Government.
This latter suggestion seemed su-
perfiuous, however, for the members
of the commission are by long odds
| the most outspoken. plain spoken and
convincing set OF men who have
t.
BoundIess Confidence In U. s.
They are bubbling over with en-
thusiasm and admiration over this
country's entry into the war. and their
faith in what the United States can
do toward bringing the war to a
speedy end Is boundless. A great
many Americans might well be i'm
bued with the spirit OF confidence
possessed by these Britons. The i'm
precision they give Is. 'Tts all over but
the shouting, now that America has
entered the war, and We are going TO
help America achieve the greatest
possible efficiency in the least possible
time and at the smallest cost"
In preparation for the conferences
which begin tomorrow, the Britons
today unlocked their chests and
trunks and took therefrom docu-
ments, reports, and data showing how
Great Britain bad blundered, how
the errors have been corrected, and
how the entire British empire is now
geared up on high. working like a
giant, smooth running machine to
"speed up the end OF the war"
The Britons want the United States
to enter the war as q giant smooth
running machine. as England Is to-
day, instead OF like a balky, stally,
bucking mule, as England was during
| the early stages of the war.