New-York tribune., 1918-05-17
Declares Wilson
Is Kept Informed
He Denies France Has
Extended Original
Aims Regarding
Return of Alsace

LONDON, May 16.-The British
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Arthur
j. Balfour, in giving explanations in
the House of Commons to-day in con-
nection with Emperor Charles's let
ter to Prince Sixtus of Bourbon, re-
Gently made public by the President
of France, declared that no effort at
conversations has ever been made by
the Central Powers in the interest of
a fair and honorable peace, and he
added:
"1f any representative of any bel
igerent country desires seriously to
lay before us any proposals we are
ready to listen to them"
The letter in question had been
examined by committee of the French
Chamber, said Mr.. Balfour, and the
conclusion reached was that it did not
provide an adequate or satisfactory
basis for an honorable peace.
Runciman Questions Answered
Mr. Balfour, in his explanations, re-
piled to questions submitted by the
Right Hon. Walter Runciman, former
President of the Board OF Trade. who
asked whether, when Emperor Charies's
letter was communicated to the French
government and by the French gov
ernment to the British Prime Minister,
it was communicated to any other of
the Allies, whether the American gov
ernment had any information as to
what was passing and whether the
Prime Minister had informed the For
eign Office that the communication had
been shown to him. He also asked
why the negotiations had been dropped,
whether on purely territorial grounds,
or because a demand was made by
France, not only for Alsace Lorraine,
but for the 1914 line. or even thes1790
line.
Mr.. Badfour explained that he had
no secrets from President Wilson. He
was in America at the time and had
not gone very thoroughly into the mat
ter. The letter, however, had been
conveyed by Prince Sixtus to Presi-
dent Poincare and the French Premier
under seal of the strictest secrecy.
A Confidential Document
Only the British sovereign and
Premier were to see it, Therefore It
was not communicated to the Presi-
dent of the United States, and the
American government was at the time
no better informed of the facts re-
garding the letter than he was himself.
II must remind the House," Mr..
Balfour declared, "that there ia
very natural tendency to treat this
subject as if it were one in which the
British government alone were con-
cerned, and that the opposition or
critics of the day had the right in the
public interest and their own to ex
tract the last drop Of information
which lt'was in the power of the gov
ernment to give.
THAT might be the natural mood for
the House to be in when discussinc
ordinary subjects of domestic contro-
versy, but it is not the mood suited to
the delicate question of international
policy.
AeCouy W lItStcn
"In international affairs il is not
good thing necessarily to discoura0e
informal attempts at conversations.
But we have never at any time init
ated conversations of that sort. We
nave never turned down conversations
when other people wished them. II
any representative of any bellieerent
country desires seriously to lay before
US any proposals We are ready to listen
to them.
Of course, we are not going to dcs,
with them without the copnizance of
our allies. The mere fact that such
conversations are of an informal char
aeter makes that very improper sub
ject for discussion in the House. That
is true as a general proposition. and
empnatically and especially true Of the
subject now under discussion.
The letter to which public atten-
eion Is directed was a private letter
written by Emperor Charles to n rela-
tive prince Sixtus of Bourbonl and
conveyed by him to President Poin-
care and the French Premier under
seal of the strictest secrecy, but with
no permission TO communicate il to
any one except the sovereign and pre-
communicated to the French and Enc
hsh premicrs under these pledges.
Wants Straight Dealings.
While l cannot conceive of a more
inconvenient method Of dealing with :
great transaction, the inconveuienc,
IN this case was not due to any wish
on the part OF the British government
or the British Premier. Directly vo,,
depart from the ordinary method ~
conducting international affairs. You
iana Yourself in inevitable difficulties.
y was IN America at the time OF
these transactions, and as thev w.r.
over when returned | did nat 20
into them as intimately as might
have done"
AS to whether any person h.a h..