New-York tribune., 1918-05-17

ernHent was at the time no better IN
formed of the facts regarding Empe-
ror Charless letter than ne was hlm-
self, but if any one supposed that on
that account he had ever shown any
want of confidence in the government
or President of the United States, he
was under a complete delusion.
He had no secrets, he said, from
President Wilson. Every thought he
had on the war or the diplomacy COW
nected with the war was as open to
President Wilson as to any other hu
man being. He did not think it pos
Sble for Great britain and the United
States to carry on the great work in
which they were engaged or to deal
with the complicated day day prob
lens without coIaplete confidence, and,
50 far as he was concerned, complete
confidence would always be given.
Stockholm Parley Futile
Referring to the Stockholm confer
cncc the Secretary expressed the opin
ion that it would not have paved the
way to the settlement of the war.
"The course taken by the British
government with regard to the Stock
holm conference" he continued, chad
no connection, near or remote. with
Emperor Chares's letter to Prince
Sixtus. nor with the negotiations OF
conversations resulting therefrom.
They were treated as wholly separate
and absolutely unconnccted subjects.
I'VE do not know ard will only know
when the secrets of the archives of
Europe are opened to the world, and
perhaps not even then. exactly what
peror Charles and the German Emperor
in these various transactions. Per-
haps we will never know what the mo-
tives were which actuated =. Count
Czernin, Charles and the German En-
peror. I am inclined to think that it
was part Of a peace offensive, by which
mean peace proposals, initiated by
one party which did not desire peace.
but which desired 20 divide its oppo-
nents
"Faisehood Exposed
"The falsehood exposed BY Premier
Clemenceau was that the whole war
was being conducted in order that
France might obtain Asace- Lorraine
we arc dealing with people so cynical
as the Central Powers some kind of
counter attack is almost obligatory.
Therefore. the counter attack de-
livered by NJ. Clemenceau appears to
have been thoroughly effective, in the
sense that 1t exposed III the cleverest
manner the motives animating Central
European diplomacy.
NO effort at conversations made by
the Central Powers has ever been
made in the interest OF a fair and
honorable peace, but in order to divide
the Allies. There is no evidence now
or at any time that the German gov
ernment circles contemplated the pos
sibility of what we should regard as
reasonable peace--a peace which would
secure the freedom OF the world, the
freedom of those who are in danger
of German domination.
Proposal Was Examined
This question has been examined,
and, no doubt, with fuller knowledge
of the facts than | can state to the
House, by committee of the French
Chamber. The British have rot the
machinery for the sort OF investiga-
lion conducted by the French. The
French had the machinery and used it
freely, and the conclusion reached was
that the Emperor Charles letter did
not provide an adequate or satisfac-
tory basis for an honorable peace.
1T might be said thai other motives
than judicial consideration of histori-
cal facts animated the verdict. If there
existed any prejudices at all these
would surely have been in favor OF
peace which would give the French AL
sdts-LoIIdlNe, because tne suggestion
was that Charles should make pro-
imposed on Germany, by which the war
should come to an end and France
should claim Alsace-Lorraine.
The Secretary said that if the pro-
posai really contained the seeds of an
honorable peace the committee of the
French Chamber would surely have ex-
pressed regret that the opportunity had
been thrown away by the French gov
ernment the French Premier No
one, he added, was more desirous than
the British government that the war
should be brought to an honorable ter
mlnation, and if any method whereby
that could be accomplished were shown
the government it would be accepted
Unity the Solution
But" he went on, ave are fighting
as one among many allies against
the Central Powers, who never
at any time, and now less than ever,
have mad the least intention of meeting
our wishes. am talking about our
legitimate wishes. and | mean wishes
on which the whole House and the
whole country are entirely in agree
ment. These great aims of ours can
only be obtained by absolute loyalty
between the Allies"
The question was brought up by
Robert Outhwate.. Liberal member
OF the House of Commons for Hanley.
Mr.. Balfour replied that the subject
was not one which could be dealt with
by question and answer.
The whole topic of Emperor Charless
proposals was discussed to-day in the
House of Commons, on the initiative
OF the pacifists and advocates of peace
by negotiation.
Mr.. Balfour said the conversations
which CASTOR Doumergue, formerly
French Premier and Foreign Minister,
had with the Russian Emperor in 1916
regarding bigger Alsace- Lorraine
which France would demand were not
known to Great Britain until very
much later. They had no international
bearing, he said, and didn't pledge
Great Britain and the British govern
ment never gave the least encourage
ment to any such notion
Mr. balfour said an extended Alsace-
Lorraine was not a subject which
should ever be contemplated seriously
and he did not think it ever was a
fixed part of the foreign policy of the
french government for any length Of
time.
The Foreign Minister also said the
pourpar!ers over the Austrian En-
peror's letter were not interfered with
by the demand Of France for an ex-
tension of territory beyond her boun-
daries of 1870.
Asquith Against Expansion
Mr.. Balfour said there was no evil
n NJ