The Washington times., 1918-05-17
BALFOUR PEACE
TALK CONFORMS
TO PRESIDENTS
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


never been on the part OF careful OBJ.
servers here the slightest apprhen-
sion that what is termed a peace by
compromise or humiliation would for
a moment be considered by this Gov
ernment or Great Britain or any of
the other allies.
In the next place. Mr.. Balfour's
speech was gratifying for its frank
ness. German propaganda not un-
tainted by Irish agitators has sought
to create the impression that imperial.
istic persons still hold sway in Great
Britain and France. and were secret
ly trading and bartering with the
enemy. and that they didn't dare to
take President Wilson and the United
States into their confidence on these
matters.
But Mr.. BalfcUr states publicly
what has long been believed here
that the British government and the
United States Gov ernment keep no
diplomatic secrets from each other.
There was a time when military and
naval information was jealously
guarded by some OF our allies, but
that period has passed with the unii-
cation OF the entente forces under
General Foch and the close co-opera-
tion of our navy under Admiral Sims
with the British Eect. The allies arc
now a unit in spirit as well as in
action.
Laborite's Speech PIeRses.
Incidentally there was much salts
faction expressed in that speech OF
Arthur Henderson, head OF the Brit
ish labor party, who said that he
would trust and support President
Wilson to the last in any matters OF
peace. This confirms the reports that
have been brought back by a process
sion OF observers in Great Britain
and France that the President OF
the United States has a strong hold
on the peoples OF the entente coun-
tries. and that they look to him to
stand for a democratic peace.
Unquestionably. Mr.. Balfour's
speech, saying he had no secrets from
the President, and explaining the cir
cumStances under Emperor Charles
letter was not communicated to the
American Government. was intended
To Offset the insinuation OF the Brit
iSh Labor party followers that the
United States was not being given a
full share in the counsels OF the
allies.
The frank answer by the British
foreign secretary publicly emphasizes
the cordiality and intimacy that pre-
walls between the United States and
the entente governments and indi-
Gates that when the time comes for
peace negotiations there will not be
intrnsl dissensions among members
Of the entente. Germany has already
tried to stir up such friction but the
very intimacy and mutual frankness
between the different governments
which now proclaim an abolition Of
secret diplomacy as fundamental to
a durable peace has served to defeat
Teutonic intriEu" and propaganda.
Not Significant.
Foreign Secretary Balfour's speech
was not looked upon here as the sign
OF any new peace overture from the
entente countries. though there is
of course, an expectation that after
the German offensive on he western
front peters out. the German govern
ment W a@T'- to keep the Ger
man peo-i r a by dangling be-
fore the ..- ..r OF an early and
Rdvantag H.. V..f..
And .ra mes comes II is
hardly 8 .ar nat the United
States O. ..--s tain will forego
the oppo, s' o. .Npose again the
duplicity - nan leaders and
spokesme .E .'. ZinE those new
overtures ng the aims for
which tho .f- .f repaired to maze
the last 5