New-York tribune., 1918-12-07
Baifour Calls World
League Vitol Necessity
In Maintaining Peace

LONDON, Dec. 6 (hy the Associated
Press ).~-Arthur j. Balfour. Secretary
OF State for Foreign Affairs, in out
hn'ng his views on the peace confer
ence to-day, told The Associated Press
thaS he thought the meeting in Paris
TINS month would be merely informal
and preliminary to tie conference of
'"e associated governments at the first
OF the year which would formulate all
the important terms of peace agree
ments. This conference. he added,
would be the most important and long
est of the series. When it was finished
the enemy countries would be called in
to ratify the conclusions reached.
Mr.. Balfour said the British govern
ment had not yet made any fixed ar
/ rangements for President Wilson to
visit England. as it would be premature
to do SO until more was known regard
ing the Presidents own plans. Great
britain would be guided solely by his
wishes.
Says League Is Necessity
The Foreign Secretary said he be-
lieved the question of league of ma
tons was the most important work
imposed on the conference. "1hc
prominence Mr.. Wilson has given the
, subject is valuable contribution to
civilization" he declared
II think" continued Mr.. Balfour, "a
league Of nations is vital necessity
if this war is to produce all the good
we expect to come out of it. The
United States would have to bear a
large share in the work it involves. It
should be something moro than a mere
instrument to prevent war The world
is more complicated than we arc in
clined to think 1t would be folly to
imagine it possible to constitute a
world with states endowed with equal
powers and rights.
"But I wish to say emphatically, in
my opinion to devise in concert work
able machinery for them is one of the
highest functions the conference can
deal with.
Must Eliminate Cockpit
Referring to President Wilson'S
phrase, "makc the world safe for dem
ocracy." Mr.. Balfour said:
81 do not think the world can be
made safe for democracy merely by
multiplying the number of democratic
states"
Mr.. Balfour explained that he was
not thinking especially of Germany
but of new states in process of forma-
tion in Eastern Europe.
"We must not assume he said,
"that when such system is created
in Eastern Europe like that wrong will
be impossible. The passions which
arise between neighboring democracies
make them quite as prone to undertake
strife as if under other forms of gov
ernment. Some critics say that the
changes that are being made in Eastern
Europe will Balkanize Europe. but
look forward to something different
It Should be intolerable if Europe and
America made no provision against
turning Europe into cockpit for fur
ther wars.
May Settle Russia's Status
Il believe a league of nations will be
required to superintend and control
not only the criminal ambitions Of
great .autocracies, but to prevent any
going to war. 1t is impossible to talk
about democracy except for countries
which have reached a relatively ad
vahced stage of civilization. A league
could be trustee for those less de-
eloped. Holding this view | ergard a
lesgue of nations the greatest work of
the conference"
Asked II Russia would be repre-
sented at the peace conference, Mr..
Balfour replied
at is hard to define what Russia is
now. We have no relations with the
Bolshevist government, which is the
main de facto government in Central
European Russia But there are many
other de facto governments.
II think Russia's status will be set
tied at the peace conference. cannot
conceive that the conference will re-
gard any Russian government as at