The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-23
LASTING PEACE
TO BE THE AIM
Balfour States Purposes Of
Entente Nations in
War
HIS PARTY GIVEN EV-
cry CONSIDERATION
On Arrival Saturday They
Were Whisked Off to
Washington

thur james Balfour, secretary of stat,
for foreign affairs of the British empir
and head of Great Britain's high com
missioners to the international war coun
Gil to be held in Washington this week
arrived in the United States Saturday
} With a genial smile playing over his fea
lures, he consented to brief interview
warmly expressing his appreciation of al
the United States has done as a neutra
in charitable and relief work in Belgium
and in German prison camps, his gratifi
cation that England and the United
States were now allied for common
purpose and his conviction that this
country in its war efforts would astound
the world, particularly Germany.
The object of the commission, Mr.. Bal.
four said, was "to make cooperation
easy and effective between those who are
striving with all their power to bring
about lasting peace by the only, means
that can secure it,. namely, successful
war"
"Your president, in most apt and
vivid phrase" Mr.. Balfour added, "has
proclaimed that the world must be made
safe for democracy That self-govern-
ing communities are not to be treated
as negligible simply because they are
small; that the ruthless domination of
one INSCRIPTIONS power imperils the fu-
ture of civilization and the liberties of
mankind are truths of political ethics
which the bitter experience of war is
burning into the souls of all freedom
loving people"
| England's leading statesmen, having
safely evaded the German submarines
and mines which sent Lord Kitchener to
| his death were received with the highest
honors as guests of the American people
when they arrived at place in America
which cannot be named. A delegation of
state, war and navy department officials
welcomed the commission in the name of
the government and set out with them
to the capital for what is admittedly the
most vital conference in American his
tory.
The commission was received with the
utmost simplicity and cordiality and
with every recognition of the fact that
Great Britain had given of her very best.
1t is said, indeed that no foreign minis
ter has left England for the length of
time that Mr.. Balfour win be away since
the congress of Vienna a century ago.
The formal welcome was extended by
Third Assistant Secretary OF State
Breckenridge Long through the presen-
tation to Mr.. Balfour of letter of greet
ing from Secretary Lansing, which the
British statesman acknowledged with
equal simplicity while British and Amer
lean officials mingled together.
A special train OF five cars which had
been waiting with steam up and crew
aboard for five days, at once got under |
way for the capital, guarded as almost
no other train has ever been guarded in
this country. Double protection had !
been afforded at all bridges and tunnels |
and every mile of the track had been |
gone over within the previous "A hours !
to guard against a possible fanatic. No
detail of any sort whatsoever which
could betray the place of arrival or route |
of travel was allowed to escape.
Almost Immediately when the train |
got under way the large party broke up
into groups of army, navy and state de-
partment officials, to begin at once the
conversations which are expect
ca TO SktltN out part III NHt
world fight against German autocracy.
Mr.. Balfour and Assistant Secretary
Long; Lieut.. Gen. T. Bridges, who drew
the first blood for England in August,
1914. and Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood and
Rear Admiral Sir Dudley Dechair and
Rear Admiral r. F. Fletcher were soon in
deep conversation on the various phases
of American participation.
On all sides ii was reiterated that the
British had come in spirit OF service
and appreciation and that it was their
hope that the lessons they had learned
in the war at such cost might be of serv-
ice to this country in avoiding similar
mistakes. Similarly. as one official ex-
pressed it, the commission was moved by (
exactly the same feelings which raised ,
he stars and Stripes to the flag tower
IF the Parliament building in London for {
he first time foreign flag has ever ,
iown there in history.
Secretary Balfour, a tall, slim, white J
haired man of so years, who has held the
highest posts in the empire since he first
entered Parliament 43 years ago, saw ,
the completion of one of his ,
ife hopes, expressed under vastly differ
mt circumstances on Jan. Is. 1896. when
lie was largely instrumental in averting ,
var between England and America over :
he Venezuela dispute.
at cannot but be-" he said, "that 4
hose whose national roots go down into
he same past as ours, who share our
language, our literature, our laws, our 4
eligion. everything that makes a nation
lreat. it cannot but be that time will ]
ONE when they will feel that they and |,
We have a common duty TO perform,
ommon Office to fulfill among the ma
ions of the world"
Balfour's Hopes for Conference h
While unable to grant a regular inter Il
Jew before presenting himself to Presi-
ent Wilson, Mr.. Bslfour willingly con j
ented to say a few words as to his gen y