Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-22
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at their interviews In war time. when
RaIfour was foreign minister. Balfo0f
could understand the American view
nojnt. But Clemenceau could MAKE
nothing OF Balfour.
Clemenceau Puzzled.
! At one OF the meetings between Brit
ish and French statesmen to decide
vital point at a critical luncture OF the
war Balfour was asked to explain the
British view. Balfour expressed himself
with admirable iucidity, but complete
impartiality. After listening for 20 min
utes old Clemenceau interposed:
"Oui, Quill Mais-are you Tor OF are
you againstP" II,
Balfour Ii often like that~-he will
weigh every course OF action and tnen
leave the matter In the air. HIS atu-
tude on many OF the great social ISSUES
of the day Is that there Is really noun
ing to be- done. and II there Is anything
to be done 1t had better not be zone
anyway. a..
lie Is not one Of the great popular fie-
ures OF England, for the simple reason
that he strikes no popular note, makes
few platform speeches. never mikes with
The crowd nor addresses the crowd, and
| is seldom seen outside Parliament, May
fair houses. the North Berwick golI
course and academic annual iunkeLings.
Also. ne does not believe In politics,
as for instance, Lloyd George. Birken~
head. Churchill. Macdonald and Bald
win believe In politics. as force max"
ing for human advancement. lie mas
found the organized quarrel" as ne
calls It. intellectually stimulating. but
he really expects nothing from It,
Progress comes from other sources.
Politics is negligible compared to the
. power of science to improve the human
lot. Politics Is only the insurance pol
icy mankind has to take out In order TO
stabilize things 80 that other forces can
operate.
This explains the famous Balfourian
calm. which has often been mistaken
for heartlessness.
II Is significant that he names New
ton the worlds greatest man. Ii Is also
significant that he loves fact and phi
loSophy, and never reads imaginative lit
erature.
Likes 10 BE In Swim.
! Still he likes to be In the swim. II
makes life intriguing and spiced he
has got used to the taste Once On the
| inside, he doesn't care much about the
exercise of power. He never disturbs
| anything. He hates change, No reform
stands In his name.
! 1t Is In the field of Cancellation that
j his unique gifts have found their best
and most useful play His graceful
presence, his amusing absent minded
ness. his absence Of rough edges. his
mastery tact. his spacious intellectual
ity and that charming smile that Is
really only courtly gesture and doesn't
come from the heart tbut how success
fully 1t charms, Just the sameD ali
these things blend to promote an nrhane
| atmosphere In which men OF diverse
views, and even nationalities, become
moved to attempt real understandings,
He was oonspicuousiy successful as
the interpreter Of Britain In wartime
America and at the postwar Washing"
ton conference. And he might have
, upset the apple cart 10 easily!
He dominated the League councils at
Geneva for time. He told the League
that he had been a League OF Nations
man before the League was thought of,
and perhaps he had~-in theory. But
for Balfour the League-~~like Palestine
| Is only another buttress In The world
structure al the British Empire,
In defense Of hts beloved England,
and In order 10 get the most out OF his
| life on earth Balfour has kept enor"
mnusly busy THE wartime ministry
was q strain he took over the adj
mlralty when winston Churchill de-