Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1917 — A MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE [ARTICLE]

A MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE

With the . arrival in America of the British and French envoys one of the most momentbus conferences in the history of the world convened. Mr. Balfour, British foreign minister and a man of worldwide reputation, is representing the British empire.- The French repre-! sentatDesare men of equal caliber, and include Rene Viviani, minister of justice and vice-president of the; council of ministers; Marshal Joseph I Jacques Cesaire Joffre, former commander in chief .of the French army and now military adviser to the government; Vice-Admiral P. L. A. Chocheprat, dean of French .admirals, and an expert on submarine problems; Marquis Pierre de Cliambroun, M. Simon, H. Hovelacque and Surgeon-Major Dreyfus. '1? Concerning this momentous conference .the Indianapolis ’News publishes the following: The Anglo-American conference to be held in Washington, may easily ■ prove to be one of the most momentous events of the last TOO. years. The British envoys, headed by Mr. Balfour, the foreign minister of the empire, are here to discuss with the President matters of j a world-wide importance, and to, formulate a world policy. Diplomatic. military and naval subjects, will, fie considered, for it is neces-j sary that the' two. governments act' in closest accord and with the co'mpletest,und‘.r. r tiding. But the purpose 6" th* notion, will »>- to carry, into effect those objects stated i the President's address to '■congress advising 'h-- declaretion of- the existence of ■' st tie of w r. Later a Ftenfh delegation will cbme Also we are tu send a commission to Russia. / ■ "■ ■: lint !hr the moment, at lea-:. .."Washi"■ mu i tie <•.pi'al o’ t •• people (f *' il’c earth; P is ’.o a meeting between t-he- r - 3 tiVes < f t ■. r, cr-.- 1 jjdwi,rg that are fighting s’d-' ride in a. terrible war. ■ ■ c ' the <J’ f - Of vis- to m-'l:e -!j■ ■ peoples safe. When an A? . President and a British. Tor,eign minis! T* .meet to consider rd'-iis to lh-<t great <n 1 the .world -not hut be encrmout l; ' ir;'ire ■'•\d. T’m policy >0 ■be rd’-'nt'd V ' : ’J not, because it Is a -world vclicy. be any the loss

American—but rarher more so. For nothing can’be* more American than liberty, the rights o' small tuples, democracy and ;-eaee. When these are assailed we suffer with the rest Of mankind. We must, therefore, stand with the rest of mankind in defending and perpetuating them. We do not think that Mr. Balfour went beyond the facts when he -aid, speaking to the American people: • The last page is being turned ' in a new chapter in the hife* tore of mankind. Your President, an a most apt and vivid phrase, has proclaimed that the world must be made safe J for democracies. Democracies, wherever they are to be found, y. and not ° least the democracies ' of the British empire, will hail the pronouncement a? a happy augury. That self-governing coinmunities are not to be ! treated as negligible- simply because they are small; that the ruthless domination of one unscrupulous power i.mperils tse future of civilization and the liberties of mankind are truths of political ethics, which' the bitter experience of war is burning into the .souls of . all freedom-loving peoples. Th..' this great people should have thrown themselves wholeheartedly. into this mighty struggle, prepared for all thefforts and ■■■ sacrifices that may be required to win success for this most righteous cause, is an event, at once = • happy ar. i ■ 'Js o / ; ’momentous'®.-that ■;.oijly ..the. .- historian of the fur a re\ Will be able, as I -believe. to measure ' its true proportions. Some- results we can possibly, even how, predict One of will be a much closer bond between the American ;-'c ie .and the people to- the north of us. North Atnerica 'Will ;be united as*. ne-ver before. Even the great commonwealth Of, Australia, which ' has'..always been our friend, will feel drawn to us by a closer an-’ -de '- er sympathy,; :We- ■ • = true at least of those who had fc-r----gotten it a truer conception of the liberty that we enjoy, and that it came irom Engllishihen, and embodied in laws and institutions th -r are largely o: English origin. The obligation is by no means, all on one side. For our war against England for the liberty that she. under the leadership of her German king, sought to deny us. had an almost incalculable influence -on England herself. Hr people, as well as ours, won U nets-, freedom as a result of the war of the revolution. Now we are to plan for the extension of the _ old liberty for which both peoples naye made so many sacrifi '-e--. Thworld will hope that, arter ;it .is all over, it may be possible to say Of the \men charged wiih these great duties, what Tennyson said of Victoria's ministers.