New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-09
Balfour Gets
Biggest Ovation
In u. S. Senate
Lawmakers Roar Approval
Of British Statesman's
Speech
He Is Sure Of Victory
Foresees Severe Trials, but
Ultimate End Of the
German Menace
He Is Sure of Victory

Washington. May s.-Arthur James
Balfour, British Foreign Secretary, re-
ceived to-day the most impressive sa-
Lutte tina. has been accorded him since
the British mission crossed the Cana
dian line into the United States. For
the roar that hailed his statement that
three great democracies had been al
lied 20 crush the greatest world men
ace Of all time came not from the
throstS Of ssluting guns nor from a
crowd Of sightSeers. II was the grave
United States Senate that hailed him
with a tremendous shout Of approval.
Standing on the VicePresidcnt's ros-
trum, the English statesman, tall,
grave, simple in speech, addressed the
Senate shortly after noon to-day. Be
fore him Sat the members Of the high
est law-msking body in the nation.
Above, the galleries were crowded with
visitors. There were no tricks Of ora
tory in the speech which Mr.. Balfour
delivered, predicting certain victory
for the Allied cause.
There had beer applause when he
entered the chamber, accompanied by
Lieutenant General Bridges and Ad-
miral De Chair, OF the British mission.
Throughout his address he was inter-
ruptcd now and again by hand clap
ping. But when he finished the real
demonstration came. The Senate rose
as one man and cheered wildly. The
roar was caught up and thrown back
from the PACKED galleries. The noise
followed him as he left the building,
like the voice Of a great nation shout
ing its approval Mr.. Balfour said;
The original object OF our mission,
il | may so express II, was purely
business one, or mainly business one.
We came here to discuss matters OF the
deepest moment for the conduct Of that
great war in which both our nations
are involved. We came here TO eX-
plain to your leaders and statesmen
what were the needs from which the
Allies mainly suffered; TO lay freely at
the disposal Of those responsible for
the conduct of your affairs the results
of our own experience, the conse-
quences, perhaps ought TO say, Of
our own errors and blunders during
the two and one-half years of strenu-
Gus and sanguinary fighting
That was the original object That
was the business side Of our mission,
but the reception which you have given
US here, the treatment which we have
received from the President, the Cabl-
net. from the House of Repre- sentatives,
from the Senate-that treatment raises
the whole level of our mission from a
purely business mission 10 great in
cident in the common life OF two great
and free peoples.
Important Consequences
81 do not think the Importance of
that is easy to overrate. ] believe that
, the consequences will not be measured
by any mere record of the transactions
that may take place between our vari-
Gus governments, nor will the effects
OF il vanish when We ourselves. in con-
sequence Of the calls of duty else
where. leave your hospiteble city. This
mission and the French mission, which
is associated with il, mark new epoch
in the relations OF our three countries,
and ! believe that in the alliance thus
cemented lie secure some Of the great
est hopes. some Of the proudest eXpec-
tations which we dare to entertain
about the future OF civilization.
at is not merely, however, your
kindness Of heart which has given this
significance 70 contemporary events.
That significance is forced upon our
notice whether We be citizens Of Amer
ica or citizens of France or citizens Of
Britain. but | speak especially at this
cf a nTFr a Il
citizens of Britain. II is forced
upon our notice by the unwearied
efforts Of an unconscionable Ger
man propaganda. Whether We live
on the other side of the Atlantic
or on this side of the Atlantic we
English speaking peoples have never
Organized ourselves for military pur-
poses; we have never been military
states. and when the war broke out,
undoubtedly the Germans looked