Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-22
BY c. PATRICK THOMPSON.

TN quiet. picture hung room in his
pleasant London house. crumpled
like q great cat on sofa, reclines
i the doyen of British statesmen. the
most piquant puzzle In British pub
lie life, debating.
Thus Arthur Balfour (his friends call
his A. j.; the records. since 1922. the
Earl of Balfour and ViScount Traprain
of Whittingehamel at the age of 80.
He Is writing his memoirs, an occupa-
ton which may be taken to preSage his
retirement from the field of politics and
affairs of state, which he has so long
graced. "Graced" Is the exact word.
In the inner circle of politics and
high society In which this tall, stoop-
ing. oracular parsonage moves 1t has
long been whimsically said that he had
discovered a private source Of the elixir
of youth and that this explained why
the years passed without marking the
benign countenance which Parliament
has known for half century or weak
ening the oracuiar voice which dictated
the Balfour note and held forth at the
Washington conference.
But lately he has not been we'll. The
House of Lords has missed him, so has
the cabinet ROOM Suddenly. 1t seems,
he feels the finger of age touching him.
No One Like Him.
There has never been any one like
him before in the British ruling set--a
philosopher who excels at the game OF
politics. an absent minded scholar who
has won world renown in the field OF
statecraft. Whichever way you turn
him you find a paradox.
The singing ironist Of Parliament Is
the most tactful, bland and sweetest
tongued of men in private life. An
assiduous intriguer for high office, he
remains detached from worldly ambi-
ton. An epicurean. he is Spartan
eater. A physically frail man, he Is
a tireless walker, tennis player, golfer.
The outward seeming democrat Is a
true patrician. who never moves be-
yond the pleasant walled garden OF his
class and kind Eighty years old next
wednesday. he retains the eyes and
mental elasticity of youth, The init
mate friend of the most beautiful and
interesting women of the period, he
remains bachelor who has never even
had a serious love affair.
He always has been baffling. Indeed.
any one who had prophesied for young
Arthur Balfour IS years ago career
WHICH WOulQ carly kIttlI " tAtC Ah6&iUSt
political Offices and make him a world
figure would have qualified as a
humorist.
They called him Clara, this thin,
languid, delicate boy who lounged about
the side lines of the playing fields OF
Eton. He was mild, short-sighted.
weedy and rather iadlylike. Music and
philosophy were his chief interests. His
tutors had a poor opinion of his ca
pacity. "A perfect dilettante," one
declared.
Then the perfect dilettante" went
out into the world and proceeded to
make himself successfully minister of
education Of Ireland. OF foreign affairs,
first lord Of the admiralty, leader Of the
House of Commons. prime minister
and q few other things, not 10 men,
ton head of the wartime British mis-
sion to the United States and chief
British delegate to the Washington
Naval Conference Also he wrote books
on criticism and beauty, theism and
humanism. on philosophy, on matter.
on theology: eventually he. collected
more literary doctorates and university
governorships than any other English
man living.
But then. Balfour always does start
badly. The American journalist who
said of him at the time OF the WASH
ington conference, 'Balfour began at