Evening star., 1921-11-15
By the Associated Press.

The official text of Arthur Balfour's s
address, at today's session of the ar
conference follows:
MIR. Chairman: You have invited
those who desired to continue the
discussion which began on Satur-
day last l think it would be very
unfortunate IL we were to allow
the events of Saturday to pass
without some further observation
on the part Of those to whom you,
Mr.. chairman, addressed your
speech and, IL for any reason, which
I shall venture to explain in mo-
ment, I am the first to take up the
challenge, it is because, of all the
powers here assembled, the coun-
try which I represent is. as every
body knows, the most intimately
interested in all naval questions.
STATESMEN Of all countries are
beginning to discover that the Ia
bors and difficulties Of peace are
almost as arduous and require al
most as great qualities as those
(which are demanded for the con-
0uCI OF q SUCCESSFUL "dE.
Taxes Easrt. Of All.
This struggle to restore tho
world to the condition Of equilib-
rum, so violently interfered with
by five years OF war, is one. that
taxes and must tax the efforts
of everybody. And / congratulate
you, If 1 may, Mr.. Chairman, on
the fact that you have added the
new anniversary which will hence
forth be celebrated in connection
with this movement toward recon-
struction in the same spirit IN
which we welcomed the anniver-
sary celebrated only a few hours
ago. on the day on WHICH hostin-
of November, in the minds of the
allied and associated powers-in the
minds, perhaps, not less of all the
neutrals-if that is a date imprint
ed on grateful hearts, 1 think
November IL will also prove to be
an anniversary welcomed and
thought of in grateful spirit by
those who, In the future, shall look
upon the arduous struggle now be-
lnS D1duc DJ lhC SiSAhSCo AoeiohS
of the world. not merely to restore
pre-war conditions, but to see that
war conditions shall never again
exist.
Secret Admirably Kept.
IT count myself among the for
tunate Of the earth in that 1 was
present and to that extent had
a share in the proceedings Of last
Saturday. They were memorable.
indeed The secret was admirably
kept. I hope that all the secrets,
so long as they ought to be Sc
crets of our discussions. will be
as we'll kept. In my less. sangnine
mood I might have doubts. But,
however that may be, the secret
in this case was most admirably
kept, and ] listened to a speech
which I thought eloquent, appro-
pirate in every way, a fitting pre-
lude to the work of the conference
indeed, had been opened by the
President. without supposing that
ANYTHING very dramatic lay : be-
hind. And suddenly I became
aware that they were assisting,
not merely at an eloquent and ad-
mirable speech, but at a great
historical event. 1t was led up
SO Seemed ned so natural that when the
blow fell, when the speaker ut
tered the memorable words which
have now gone around and found
an echo in every quarter OF the
civilized world, 1t came as q shock
Of profound surprise; 1t excited
the sort of emotions we have; when
some wholly new event, suddenly
springs into view, and We felt that
a new chapter in the history OF
world construction had been war
lily opened. '
Britain Profoundly Concerned.
"Mr. Chairman, the : absolute
simplicity Of the procedure. the
easy transition and the great
dramatic climax. were the perfec-
tion of art which shows that
the highest art and the most per-
feet simplicity are very often,
indeed very commonly, combined
Now. I said would explain. X
rise first today. to deal with the
subject which is in all our hearts.
"As I have limited, 1t is because
the British empire and Great Britt
ain, these two together, are more
profoundly concerned with all
that touches matters naval than
1t is possible for any other nation
to be, and this not, believe me,
for any reasons Of ambition. not
for any reason drawn from his
tory or tradition, but from tho
hard, brutal necessities of claims
and obvious facts.
There never has been in, the
history of the world q great em-
pire constituted as the British
empire Is. It is fact. no doubt,
familiar to everybody whom am
addressing at the present mo-
ment, but has. everybody whom /
am addressing imsgtnativeiy con- !.