South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-18
Entente Must Win Says Balfour in
New Note Handed to Sec'y Lansing

The text Of Mr. Balfour's note.
dated Jan. Is. and addressed 70 Sir
Cecil. follows.
I'm sending YOU a translation Of
the allies note. I desire 10 make the
following observations which / wish
YOU should bring TO the notice OF
the L. 5
Il gather from the general tenor
OF the presidents note. that while
he is animated by an intense desire
that peace should come soon and
that when it comes. ii should be
lasting he does not for the moment.
at least concern himself with the
terms on which it should be arrang-
ed His majesty's government en-
tirely shares the presidents ideas;
but they feel strongly that the dur
ability OF peace must largely de-
pend on its character and that no
stable system Of international rela-
tions can he built on foundations
which are essentially and hOpelessly
defective.
Laws Held Inadequate.
This BECOMES clearly apparent if
we consider the main conditions
which rendered possible the calam-
tiles from which the world is now
suffering These were the existence
Of great powers consumed with the
lust Of domination in the midst of
a community Of nations ill-prepared
for defense plentifully supplied in
deed with international laws, but
- III So M
Of them and weakened by the fact
that neither the boundaries of the
various states nor their internal con-
stitution harmonized with the aspi-
ration of their constituent races or
secured TO them just and equal
treatment.
That this last evil would be
greatly mitigated if the allies Sc
cured the changes in the map OF Eu-
rope outlined in their joint note
is manifest, and l need not labor
the point
1T has beer argued indeed. that
the expulsion of the Turks from Eu-
rope forms no proper or logical part
of this general scheme. The main
tenance of the Turkish empire was
during many generations regarded
by statesmen of world wide author
ity as essential 10 the maintenance
OF European peace. Why. II is ask
ed. should the cause of peace be
now asserted, with "a complete re- |
versal of this traditional policy?
Circumstances Are Changed.
The answer is taat circuIU stances
have completely changed. 1t is un-
necessary to consider now whether
the creation of a reformed Turkey
mediating between hostile races in
the near east was a scheme which,
had the sultan been sincere and tne
powers united, could ever have been
realized.
1T certainly cannot Je realized
now. The Turkey OF union and
progress is at least as barbarous
and is far more aggressive than the
Turkey of Sultan Abdul Hamid. I'M
the hands of Germany il has ceased
even in appearance to be a bulwark
of peace and is openly used as an in
strument of conquest. Under Ger
man officers Turkish soldiers are
now lighting in lands from which
they had long been expelled and a
Turkish government controlled. sub
sidized and supported by Germany
has been guilty OF 1nassacres in Ar
menia and syria more horrible than
any recorded in the history even Of
those unhappy countries. Evidently
the interests of peace and the claims
of nationality alike require that
Turkish rule over alien races shall
if possible. be brought 10 an end;
and we may hope that the expulsion
of Turkey from Europe will contrib
ute as much TO the cause of peace
as the restoration of Alsace-LOrraine
TO France, or Italian Irredenta to
Italy. or any of the other territorial
changes indicated in the allied note.
Encouragement Not Enough.
Evidently, however, such terri
toI.ial arrangements. though they
may diminish the occasions of war.
provide no sufficient security against
its recurrence. If Germany, or
rather those in Germany who mould
it's opinions and control its destinies,
again set out 10 dominate the world,
they may find that by the new or
der Of things the adventure is made
more difficult, but hardly that il is
made impossible. They may still