Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-23
BY WILLIAM PIoKEFT HELMS

In the long list of diplomatic 4ri-
umphs accredited to Arthur j. Balfour,
Britain'S wartime foreign minister, per-
haps the most dazzling feat of all has
never yet been told. For 1t was Bal<
courteous, cautious, careful, callny
Ralfour-Who, more than any other
player on the worlds darkened stage,
swung the United States swiftly into
the war in the bleak Spring OF 1917.
\ Balfour was the man who sent Wood
row Wilson undeniable proof Of Ger
many's duplicity against the Untte4t
States. Walter Hines Page, AmerieaIa'
Ambassador at London, vas the agency
of transmission. The proof Page trans
nlitted was q copy OF the Zimmerman
note.
woodrow Wilson placed that note be-
fore the American people within ~
hours after receiving 1t. It's publication
was followed by swift action-the crys-
tallizing of American public opinion and
within six weeks the deefaTetion Of war.
Cautiously Checkea Note.
No public act Of Balfour's can testify
more elOquently to his serupulous care
in making sure OF the ground he trod
than his cautious checking of the Ger
man foreign minister's note. Balf0ur
had copy of the note January IL. 1917,
the day It cracked out from the great
wireless station at Nauen, near. Berlin.
But he kept his counsel ana saia moth
ing for - days, until the contents we're
confirmed and an actual, textual copy
intercepted between German spies lay
In his hand Then Sp
Here" he said to Mr.. Page. whom
he had summoned to. 1O. Downing street,
"islSomething that may interest YOU"
In the wondering Ambassadors hand
,Ba1fOur placed an original version OF
Herr Zimmermann's note. to the Ger
man Ambassador at Mexico City, Won
Eekhardt. The note, 1t VITA be recalled,
Siati0ns with Venustiano Carranza,
President of Mexico, looking to an alli-
'ance among Mexico, Japan and Ger
many, and to war between. Mexico ana
the limited States should the United
States attempt to inteEpose.
The lost provinces of Texas, New
Mexico and Arizona" were to be rec0v-
cred BY Mexico in the proposed conflict.
Germany was to flnance the Mexican
government in the attempt.
Revealed UDdersea war Plan.
.TFe'no was sent on January ~ and
1t advised Won Rckhardt that Germany
had decided to pursue a policy Of ruth
less submarine warfare beginning IL
days thereafter, or on february l. 1t
was anticipated that the United States
would enter the conflict in such event.
Then, the note proposed, Mexico was
to act.
Won Eckhardt received the wireless
message at Mexico City direct from
Nauen. The British picked is up from
the air, just as they picked up an other
Nauen messages. They decided it at
once, possibly before the somewhat
Stolid Won Eckhardt, sitting alone with
the fateful paper and his code book be-
fore him In his embassy. could himself
decode it. Balfour's first impulse was
to hand it Immediately to Page. His
second thought was that, lacking proof,
the Washington Government and the
American people would look with doubt
upon it. They might regard It - Brit
ish propaganda.
SO he held it. He decided to confirm
1t. His trained mind told him that the
German foreign ONCE would attempt to
send Won Eckhardt a copy. How, he
asked himself? There was but one way:
Through the American diplomatic pouch
travelling between Berlin and Washing
ton: zimmermann's correspondence with