New-York tribune., 1921-11-16

~NfS~
OF Arthur Balfour's address at to-
days session of the armament con-
ference follows:
"Mr. Chairman, you have invited
chose who desire to continue the dis
cussion which began on Saturday last.
/ think it would be very unfortunate
II we were to allow the events OF
Saturday to- pass without some fur
sher observation on the part OF those
20 whom you, Mr.. Chairman. ad-
dressed your speech and, if for any
plain in a moment, I am the irst to
take up the challenge, it is because
of all the powers here assembled the
country which represent is,
AS everybody knows, the most init
mately Interested in all naval aues-
tons.
Statesmen of all countries are be-
ginning to discover that the labors
and difficulties OF peace are almost
As arduous and require almost as
great qualities as those which are
demanded fer the conduct of sac
cessful war.
Struggle of Restoration
''The struggle to restore the world
70 the condition of equilibrium, 80
violently interfered with by five
years of war, is one that taxes and
must tax the efforts of everybody.
And congratulate you, # may. ME-
Chairman, on the fact that you have
added the new anniversary which will
henceferth be celebrated in eennec-
ton with this movement toward re-
construction in the same spirit In
which we welcomed the anniversary
celebrated only few hours ago, on
the day on which hestilities came to
an end. If the 11th of November in
the minds of the allied and associated
powers, in the minds, perhaps, not
less of all the neutrals-if that is q
think November II will also prove to
be an anniversary welcomed and
thought of in a grateful spirit, by
those who in the tvture shall look
hack upon the arduous struggle now
being made by the civilized nations
eff the world, not merely to restore
Drew conditions, but to see that
war conditions shall never again ex-
ist,
A Memorable Event
Il count myself among the fortunate
of the earth in that | was present and
10 that extent had share in the pro-
ceedings last Saturday. They were
memorable indeed. The secret was ad-
airably kept. | hope that all the
secrets, so long as they ought to be
secrets, of our discussions will be as
vel! kept In my less sanguine wood
I have doubt. Hut however that may
De, the secret in this case was most
admirably kept. and I listened to a
speech which I thought eloquent, ap-
propriate, in every way a fitting prel-
ude to the work OF the conference
which was about to open OF which in
deed had been opened by the President
without supposing that anything very
dramatic lay behind. And suddenly
became aware, that they were assisting
not merely at an eloquent and admira-
Bile speech but at great historical
event. 1t was led UP to with such art. The
transition seemed SO natural that when
The blow fell. when the speaker uttered
the memorable words which have now
gone round and found an echo in every
quarter Of the civilized world, it came
as a shock Of profound surprise; it ex-
cited the sort of emotions we have
when some wholly new event suddenly
springs into view, and we felt that q
new chapter in the history Of world re-
construction had been warily opened.
"Mr. Chairman, the absolute sim
plicity of the procedure, the easy tran,
sitien and the great dramatic climax
we're the perfection of art, which shows
that the highest art and the NEST per.
feet simplicity are very often, indeed
very commonly, combined.
British Empires View
Now. said I would explain, il
was allowed, why veature to rise
irst to-day to deal with the subjec
which is in al our hearts. As I have
limited, it is because the British En-
pi3e and Great Britain, these two to
gether. are more profoundly concerne,
with all that touches matters nava
than it is possible for any other ma
tion to be, and this not, believe me
For any reasons Of m5ition, not TO
any reasons drawn from history 0
tradition, but from the hard, bruta
necessities of claims and obvious facts
There never has been in the hisber
Of the world great empire consti
tuted as the British Empire is. 1t i
= fact no doubt familiar TO everybod
whefn / am addressing at the presen
moment, but has everybody whom
gnl addressing imag ginatively conceive
precisely what the situation Of tn
British Empire is in this connection
Most Of my audience sre citizen
ST the United States. The Unite
States stands solid, impregnable, self
sufficient, all its lines of conmunica
ton protected, douhly protected. con,
pletely protected from any conceivahl
hostile act. 1t is not merely that yo
are lto,ooo,0Q0 of population; it Is no
that you are the wealthiest Country i
the world it is that the whole cor
nguratlon of your country, the geo
graphical position Of your country, i
sueh that you are wholly immune fror
the particular perils to which, fros
the nature of the case, the BIRTHS
Empire is subject.
Example for America
"Supposing, for example, that YOU
Western states, for whose safet
YOU are responsible, were suddenl
moved 10000 miles across the se
Supposing that you found that III
very heart of your empire, the ver
heart of this great state. was a small
= crowde>- island depending for owe
sea trade ant merely. not chiefly, IL
is Inquiries, hut depending upon ove
seas communication for the raw m,
terial Of those manufactures by whic
its superabundant population lives
depending upon the same oversea con
muniostion for the food upon whic
shev sabsist. Supposing it WAS q I,
milizr thought in your minds tn;
there never were at any moment +,
The year within the limits of yol
state more than seven weeks foe
for tne population, and that that foe
sonuaiesanp saa 10 o. sepeTSasa TSsn y You aSessi vi
xk~k ~tA will CO