The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-16
BALFOUR BELIEVES
WORLD MUST END
DAYS OF FIGHTING
British Statesman Sees
Disarmament as True
- Hope of World.

America has made "idsalism a prac-
tieality," Hon. Arthur James Bal
four paid high Tribute to the prin-
ciples which prompted calling Of
the conference and gave his in
dorsement. with minor reservations
to the program outlined by seere-
tary Hughes. Mr.. Balfour said:
Mr.. Chairman: You have invited
those who desired II to continue
the discussion which began on Sat
urday last I think IL would be very
unfortunate II we were to allow
the events Of Saturday to. pass
without some further observa-
lions on the part of those to whom
you. Mr.. Chairman, addressed your
speech and. If for any reasons
which shall venture to explain in
a moment I am the first to take up
the challenge, 1t is because of all
the powers here assembled the
country which, represent Is, as
everybody knows, most Intimately
interested in all naval questions.
LabOrs of War.
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-
duct OF a successful war.
The struggle to restore the
world to the condition of eQuili-
brium. so violently interfered with
by fve years of war, is one that
taxes and must tax the efforts Of
everybody. And / eongrat ulate you,
IL may. Mr.. Chairman, on the fact
that you have added new anniver-
sary which will henceforth be cele-
brated in connection with this
movement towards reconstruction in
the same spirit in which we well
come the anniversary, celebrated
only a few hours ago, of the date
on which hostilities came to an
end II the 18th of November, in
the minds Of all the Allied and Asso-
ciated Powers, in the minds per-
haps not less of all the neutrals-
II that is p date imprinted on CRATE
full hearts, 1 think November lstn
will also prove to be an anniver-
sary welcomed and thought of in a
grateful spirit by those who, in
the future shall look back upon the
by the civilized nations of the
world, not merely to restore pre-
war conditions. but to see that war
conditions shall never again exist
Glad of Opportunity.
Il count myself among the for
tunate Of the earth in that 1 was
present, and to that extent had q
share In the proceedings of last
Saturday. They were memorable in
deed. The secret was admirably
kept I hope that all the secrets.
so long as they ought to be Sc
cret, of our discussions will be as
we'll kept. In my less sanguine
mood I have my doubts. But, how
ever that may be, the secret in this
case was most admirably kept, and
listened to speech which
/ thought eloquent. appropriate, In
every way a fitting prelude to the
work of the conference which was
about to open or which indeed had
been opened by the President, with
out supposing that anything very
dramatic lay behind. And suddenly
/ became aware, as I suppose all
present became aware, that they
were assisting not merely at an
eloquent and admirable speech. but
at a great historical event. 1t was
led up with such art. The transit
tion 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 civil
fzed world. il came as a shock of
profound surprise; IL excited the
sort of emotions we have when
some wholly new event suddenly
springs into view and we felt thas
a new chapter in the history of
world reconstruction had been
worthily opened.
Perfection Of Art.
Mr.. Chairman, the absolute SIM
plicity of the procedure. the easy
transition and the great dramatic
climax, were the perfection of art,
which show that the highest art
aud the most perfect simplicity are
very often, indeed very commonly.
combined.
Now, said I would explain, II
] was allowed, why 1 venture to
rise FIRST today to deak with the
subject which is in all our hearts.
As / have limited. 1t is because the
British Empire ard Great Britain,
the two together. are more pro-
foundIy concerned with all that
touches matters naval than il is
possible for any other nation to be.
and this not. believe me. for any
reasons of ambition, not for any
reasons drawn from history or ira
dition. but from the hard bruta,
necessities of plain and obyiou.
facts.
There never has been in the his
tory Of the world a great empire
constituted as the British Empire
Is Il Is a fact, no doubt familiar
to everybody whom I am address
ing at the present moment, but has
everybody whom I am addressing
lmaginaotively conceived precisely
what the situation of the British
Empire is in this connection?
Status of Nations.
Most of my audience are CHI
zens of the United States. Tbe
United States stands solid. i'm
pregnable, self-sudicient, all n,
lines Of communication protect.6.
loudly protected. completely nr,-
seeted. from any conceivable hostile
attack. It Is not merely that YOU are
100000 OF population; IL is not
merely that you are the wealthicst
country In the world; IL is that the
whole conhguration OF your conn
Try, the geographical position OF
your country, Is such that Won are
wholly immune from the particular
oerils to which, from the nature of
the case, the British Empire a
subject ...-'s.s