Evening star., 1923-04-01
ORD ROBERT CECIL'S arrival
in New York a few days ago,
4 for the avowed purpose of OBJ

ORD ROBERT CECIL'S arrival
in New York few days ago,
for the avowed purpose of OBJ
literating the prejudices which
exist In the minds of a large portion
Of the people OF the United States
against the league of nations. in its
present unsatisfactory and unreform-
ed state-a task which President
Woodrow Wilson, with his immea sur
ably superior knowledge Of the psy-
choloGy of his countrymen and of
American conditions, SO signally fall
ed to accomplish, IS engaging to such
an extent the attention of the public.
that sight is being lost Of the other
scions Of that historic house of Cecil.
which has played so great a role in
the history OF Great Britain ever
since William Cecil. Lord of Burghley,
was secretary OF state to Edward VI,
and prime minister 10 Queen Eliza
beth at the time of the attempted in
vasion of England by the Spanish
armada, and since his son Robert, first
Lord Salisbury, succeeded him in that
off1ce In the closing years of the reign
OF the Virgin Queen, securing at her
death the succession of the crown to
the Stuart dynesty in the person of
James VI of Scotland, who became
James OF England and Ireland.
And yet 1t is necessary to know
something about the other Cecils, and
especially about the brothers of Lord
Robert in order to- understand him.
and to form correct appreciation of
his somewhat complex character. 1t
is character in which unselflsh and
disinterested patriotism. a lofty sense
OF personal honor. loyalty to certain
ideals and traditions. are strangely
mingled with extraordinary casuistry
principle to political expediency.
where what the Cecils believe the
welfare of the nation to be concerned.
- y
There was no more honorable man
in private life than the late Marquis
of Salisbury, thrice premier of Queen
Victoria. and also prime minister Of
Edward VII during the first years of
his reign-a statesman of such
weight that he was able to dominate
both Of his sovereigns in a number Of
important matters.
He was a deeply religious man
strongly imbued with the illustrious
traditions which he had inherited
from a long line Of celebrated fore
dreamed of tolerating anything in
the least degree eQuivocal in his pri-
vate dealings. Yet. in 1873, when ask
ed in the house of lords, on the eve of
the Berlin conference, whether there
was any secret understanding be-
tween Great Britain and the sublime
porte, he gave positive assurance
that there was nothing of the kind in
existence. although on the following
day. through the dishonesty of tenn
porary and supernumery clerk of the
foreign office, the London Globe pub
, lished in extenso and verbatim, a
copy of the treaty which he had con-
cluded ten days previously, by which
the sultan transferred to England the
control and occupancy of the Island
of Cypres.
Lord Salisbury and the sublime
porte were bound by mutual obliga-
tions to keep this treaty secret Tor
some time longer. 1t was a matter
of the most vital Importance to Tur-
key that nothing should be known
about Ii by any of the, other foreign
powers. Lord Salisbury could not ad-
nit it's existence without, betraying
his pledges to Sultan Abdul Hamid.
and, so prompted by the necessity of
preserving intact state secret and
OF keeping faith with the Ottoman
giovernment, which had put all its con-
1idenoe in England, he made, In the