Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-19
EARL OF BALFOUR
D|ESAT AGE OF g
British Statesman Is Unable
to Ward Off Attacks of
Long Illness.

Continued From First Page.)
secretary for Ireland, first lord Of the
admiralty, foreign secretary, prime min
lister and member of innumerable gov
eminent missions and committees, the
Earl of Balfour's political life spanned
by good margin the latter years of the
reign Of Queen Victoria down through
the reign of King Edward VII and
through more than Is years of the
reign OF King George.
He was most famous perhaps for the
sol-called Balfour note, in which Great
Britain renounced all postwar debts in
continental Europe, both from her allies
and Germany, beyond what was needed
to pay her own debts In America, and
by the Balfour declaration of British
policy in Palestine, which set that
| country aside as home for repatriated
Jews.
Macdonald Pays Tribute.
Prime Minister Macdonald, Informed
almost at once Of the earl's death, de-
life and the whole nation will unite In
expressing its regret and in paying its
| tribute"
The earl was 81 years old last July
and he played tennis right up to that
birthday. A most notable character
istic was an almost unlimited capacity
to remember. He frequently astonished
friends with recollections of the most
trivial incidents in his long career.
Arthur James Balfour was created
the first Earl of Balfour Of 1922 and
holds besides the title Viscount Ira
prain of Whittingehame.
When the end came Lord Balfoul
was writing the finishing pages of his
autobiography, in which will be re-
vealed the thoughts and opinions Of
the scholar all the world once knew
as "a. j."
The Earl of Balfour is succeeded by
his brother Gerald, at whose house he
died. Lord Balfour was created ar
Earl and Viscount Traprain after the
Washington Conference in 1921 and
1922. He also was made knight OF
the Garter, but seldom afterward ap-
peared in public roles.
King Expresses Regret.
He was president Of the British Acad-
envy from 1921 to 1928, but his time
was given largely to his autobiography
His last state duty was attendance as
lord president of the council at the
privy council held last May 10 at Craig
well House, Bognor. King George then
signed the document dissolving Parlia-
ment and bringing about the general
election which threw Ramsay Mac
donald into power.
King George sent the following mes
sage to Gerald Balfour:
THE death OF Lord Balfour will
evoke throughout the empire and in
many parts Of the world feelings OF
deep sorrow, which the Queen and
fully share. It is q national loss of a
great statesman, the last of Queen Vic
toria's ministers. I shall treasure his
memory as a lifelong friend, a great
and charming personality, wise and
trusted counselor"
Called an AristOcrat.
Balfour was once characterized as "an
aristocrat who entered Parliament to
protect the privileges Of his caste and to
taste the joys of intellectual mastery
Philosopher as well as statesman, 1t has
been said of him that "he was never sc
happy as when discussing some new
guess at the nature of matter or the
nature of the SOUL
AS first lord of the admiralty in the
coalition war cabinet Q915-16), foreign
secretary (1916-19), head Of the British
mission to America (191O, British dele
gate to the Paris peace conference
(1919) and to important post-bellum
deliberations O92o-21) at San Reno
Hythe, Brussels, San Sebastian, Rome
London, Geneva and elsewhere, he took
Q notable part In the war and the eff
forts at reconstruction, in settling repa-
ration, boundary, racial and similar
problems.
During Balfour1s term as first lord OF
the admiralty the German air raiders
were most active in their attacks on
London and English coast towns, as q
result Of which he was severely criti-
cized. Interpellated in the House OF
Commons, he admitted that mistakes
had been made in the British aerial de-
lenses. Soon after. Premier AsQuith re-
signed, and within q fortnight David
Lloyd George, at the head of q coalition
ministry, had succeeded him and named
Balfour as his secretary Of state for for
eign affairs.
Helped Heal AngIO-U. S. Rift.
As foreign secretary Balfour came to
the United States at the head of the
British high commission, almost at the
hour America was declaring the exist
ence of a state of war with Germany.
The purpose Of the ENJOYS, as we'll as
that of similar allied commissions sent
here, was to assist the United States in
determining the scope Of her co-opera-
ton with men, money and munitions.
Balfour visited President Wilson, adj
dressed both houses of Congress end,
by his picture of conditions abroad as
well as by his eloquence. did much, it
was said, Ito help heal the breach of
141 years between the United States
and England"
Balfour's skill as an international
diplomatist was shown at the peace
table. China had helped the allies IN
the war and yet, when the peace treaty
came to be drafted, Shantung, one OF
China's richest provinces and the
birthplace of Confucius, was awarded
to Japan. The Chinese blamed Bal
four and declared that it bore out what
critic had said Of him: Charm he
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