The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-04-27
ALFOUR AND PARTY
SAFE IN AMERICA
BRITISH COMM SSlONERS TO WAR
COUNCIL RECEIVED WITH
HIGHEST HONORS.
Dean Of English Statesmen Defines
War Issues and Expresses Apprecia-
tion for Work Americans Have
Done In Interests of Ncutrals.

Observation-Disclosures Minister Bal
four and the other members of the
commission sent to America by the
government of Great Britain, arrived
in Washington on Sunday.
Great Britain's high commissioners
to the international war council ar
rived safely and set foot on American
soil at New York City on Saturday.
April Il.
While unable to grant an extended
interview before presenting himself to
President Wilson. Mr.. Balfour will
ingly consented to say few words
as to his general hopes for the confer
ence and the fundamental purposes be-
hind it. A verbatim copy follows.
All will agree that my first duty as
head of a diplomatic mission is to pay
my respects TO the head Of the state to
which l have been sent; and no public
expression of opinion on points of pol
Icy would. think, be useful or even
tolerable until have had the honor Of
comforting with your president and
learning his views. l have not come
here to make speeches or indulge in
interviews, but to do what | can to
make cooperation easy and effective
all their power to bring about last
ing peace by the only means that can
secure it, namely, Il successful war.
Without, however, violating the rule
l have just laid down, there are two
things which l may permit myself to
say: One, on my own behalf, the
other on behalf of my countrymen In
general.
On my own behalf, let me express
( the deep qualification | feel at being
connected in any capacity whatever
with events which associate our coun-
tries in common effort for a great
ideal.
On behalf Of my countrymen. let me
express our gratitude for all that the
citizens of the United States of Amer
lea have done to mitigate the lot OF
those who, in the allied countries, have
suffered from the cruelties of the most
deliberately cruel of all wars. To
name no others, the efforts of Mr.. Ger
ard to alleviate the condition of Brit
ish and other prisoners of war III Ger
many and the administrative genius
which Mr.. Hoover has ungrudgingly
devoted to the relief of the unhappy
Belgians and French in the territories
still in enemy occupation, will never
be forgotten: while an ineXhaustible
stream of charitable effort has sup
piled medical and nursing skill to the
service of the wounded and the sick.
These are the memorable doings OF
a beneficent neutrality. But the days
of neutrality are, | rejace to think. ai
an emil and the first page is being
turned III new chapter Ia the histor,
of mankind. Your president, in a most
apt and vivid phrase, has proclaimed
that the world must be made safe foI
democracy. Democracies whenever
they are found, and not least the de
mocracies of the British empire, will
hail the pronouncement as happy
augury. That selfgoverning commu
mites are not TO be treated as neglig
ible simply because they are small
that the ruthless domination of one
INSCRIPTIONS power imperils the flu
ture of civilization and the libertie.
of mankind, are truths of political eth
les which the bitter experience of wal
is burning into the souls of all free
dom-loving peoples. That this grea
people should have thrown themselves
whole-heartedly into this might,
struggle, prepared for all the effort.
and sacrifices that may be required +,
win success for this most righteou:
cause, is an event at once so happy
and so momentons that only the his
torian of the future will be able, as
| believe it, to measure it's true pro
portions.