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LXXVm No. 26,115
First to Last-- the Truth:
[Copyright i9i$_
The Tribune Aiiti]
FRIDAY,
Editorials - Advertisements
?ritan?
WEATHER
Fair and warmer to-day and to-morrow.
Mod?r?t? sooth wlndi.
Fall Beport on Pt|?
MAY 17, 1918
?> <>^?&r??3L?'&?!?
Wilson Fights
Even Limited
War Inquiry
Opposes the Chamberlain
Resolution as Amended
by Committee
Senate May Decide
The Issue To-day
Appointment of Hughes
Means P~?;dent Wants to
Do AH Investigating
By C. W. Gilbert
WASHINGTON, May 16.?The fate
of further investigations by the
Senate into the effectiveness of war
preparations is likely to be decided to?
morrow. The President is opposed to
(he Chamberlain resolution, even as
?mended hy the Committee on Audit
?nd Control. He is opposed to any
resolution at all extending the inves?
tigating powers of the Military Af?
fairs Committee. Senator Thompson,
who saw Mr. Wilson this morning,
said;
"The President authorized me to
say that he was just as much opposed
to the amended resolution as he was
to the original resolution."
It is understood that Mr. Wilson
holds no resolution is necessary, as
the Military Affairs Committee has
now all the powers it requires to con?
duct any investigation needed. He
thinks, it is said, that the passage of
the amended resolution or any resolu?
tion of a similar nature would be
equivalent to direction to the com?
mittee to start inquiries into various
subjects and that continuous inquiries
by Congress would interfere with the
progress of war preparations.
It will be recalled in this connection
that the President, in his letter to
?Senator Chamberlain at the time the
Senator offended him by his speech in
New York, said that the investigators
had delayed the work of making ready
for war, using up the valuable time of
War Department executives by calling
them to the witness stand.
Real Attitude of
the President
The exact language he used was
thi?:
"Investigations which drew indis
peaubh officials constantly away
frm "cheUr work and 'officers"'* from*
their commands and contributed a
treat deal to such delay and confusion
u had inevitably arisen."
That letter represents the real atti?
tude of the President. He resents in?
vestigations, and he is determined that
investigations are not to be extended
in the way the Chamberlain resolution
is amended provides that they shall
be. If that resolution should pass, Con
press will not wait for a scandal to de?
velop before making an inquiry, but
will inform itself constantly how the
billions it appropriates for war are
being spent.
Mr. Wilson means that Congress
shell not do this. The amendment of
the resolution has compelled him to
shift his ground and disclose more
nearly what his real attitude is. It is
not unlikely that a further letter from
him to-day will make plain that con?
stant oversight of expenditures for
supplies will be intolerable to him, and
will declare it to be an interference
with the conduct of the war and a re?
flection of want of confidence in his
administration.
The meaning of the Hughes appoint?
ment, as of the earlier appointment of
the Marshall committee, is that the
"resident intends to take the function
of investigating away from Congress.
He wants everything, even the inquiry
'?to the acts of his subordinates, in his
ot.,1 hands, and by opposing even the
amended Chamberlain resolution he is
boldly challenging the right of the Sen?
ate to inform itself about the expen?
diture of public moneys.
larestigation Only
Independent Activity
. Investigation is the one real function
that Congress has been exercising. For
the rest it has been merely doing what
the President tells it to do?passing the
laws he asks for and appropriating the
money he demands. Investigation has
been its one vilal independent activity.
And the President means to take that
away and exercise it himself.
If the Chamberlain resolution fails
OJ passage the Military Affairs in
veli-V*ation* wil1 run on for a little
while, but will stop. soon for lack of
Power during recess or for lack of
means. If the Senate refuses to ap?
propriate ^10,000 now for carrying
them on it very soon will decline to
'urnish money on the basis on which
't has furnished money in the past.
If the resolution is beaten there can
S no mistake about the meaning of
?a defeat. It will be a vote against
'?wigation, in obedience to the Presi?
dent s wishes, and inevitably investiga?
tions will stop, unless some scandal
crises which cries out for a more
'."dependent inquiry than one con?
ducted by the executive department
'"elf.
Senator McKellar made his report
W the majority of the Audit Com
??ttee to-day, in favor of the amended
???tion. Senator Thompson will
"?***e his minority report against any
??olution to-morrow. The members of
?M Military AfTairs Sub-Committee
woo have been visiting? gun plants will
?I Back in their seats to-morrow, and
i* *ote may be had. The issue is close.
"?t the general expectation is that the
| resident will win and investigations
'?y the Senate will soon stop.
Super-Wheat Evolved
By Luther Burbank
,SANTA ROSA, Cal., May 1?.?A
*"f*r"wheat," containing fourteen per
r'.?: ?luten, has been evolved by
???her Burbank, the California horti
??itunst, after experiment? extending
?* r *'ev?n years, it was announced
be? to-day.
,*"* wheat may be grown from Hud
?" Bay to Patagonia. It is ?aid to
"*** the winter variety, hardy and
P*Wucin* a white flour. It will aver
2* * yield of forty bushels to the
Mr- ?"?-bank said.
,. SANDV HOOK BOUTK.
"*?ii rv'c* rwiuiBM' oti Sunday. May 15. with
,tf??****?wr, Two steamers on May *?.
Plead Patriotism'
As Defence For
Prager Lynching
Accused Men Had no Right
to Kill on Suspicion,
Judge Declares
(Special Dispatch to The Tribune)
EDWARDSVILLE, 111.. May 16.?An
unwritten law justifying "patriotic
murder" as a measure of home protec?
tion will be invoked by the eleven de?
fendants on trial for lynching Robert
Pr?ger, an enemy alien, at Collinsvillc,
on April 5. This was revealed to-day
by J. M. Bandy, attorney for the de?
fence, during an examination that ex?
hausted a panel of 256 prospective
jurors, with none accepted.
In suggesting the course the defence
will take Mr. Bandy pointed to the II
linois statute that defines murder ai
"the unlawful killing of a human be?
ing within the peace of the people anc
with malice aforethought, expressed oi
implied."
According to the defence, Pr?ger wa
a German spy, and as such was no
within the "peace of t?ie people." "W
will show that his status was that o
a burglar, who is planning to brea!
into a house at night, and whom th
owners kill in defence,'' said Mr. Bandj
Rules on Status of Aliens
Questions addressed to prospectiv
talesmen as to whether thev believe*
an enemy alien was within the peac
Italians Raid
Pola; Torpedo
Dreadnought
Battleship of Viribus Unitis
Type Is Struck in Dar?
ing Attack
Air Battle Fought
At the Same Time
Two Austrian Fliers Shot
Down ; Others Damaged
by Seaplanes
ROME. May 16.?An Austrian battle
ship was torpedoed by Italian nava
forces in Pola harbor early Tuesdaj
morning, it was announced officiallj
to-day.
The battleship was of the Viribu:
Unitis type (20,000-ton vessel).
The ^Italian force worked its wa;
into the^Austrian naval base by dodg
ing the patrol boats and searchlight
of the defenders.
While the naval operation was pro
grcssing an Italian seaplane force en
gaged Austrian battleplanes abov
Po'a. Two of the Austrians wer.
KerenskyonWay
Here to Win Aid
For New Revolt
Washington Still Holds Out
Hope for Regaining
Russia
(Special Dispatch to The Tribune)
WASHINGTON, May 16. -Alexander
Korensky, tho former revolutionary
Premier of Russia, according to repre?
sentatives of the Bolsheviki here, is
expected to arrive at an Atlantic port
of this country next Monday or Tues?
day.
The Bolsheviki believe he is coming
in the interest of some counter revo?
lutionary movement in Russia, perhapf
in behalf of the Stmeneff . Cossacl
movement in Siberia, or to urge upor
the President acquiescence in Japan's
intervention in behalf of the Siberiar
Cossacks.
Another deputation rc-presentini
Semeneff, according to the same au
thority, reached n Pacific port recently
Among its members was the com
mander of the "Battalion of Death,:
whose arrival was recently recorded ii
the press. The purpose of this depu
tation, according to the reports here, i
to plead for Japanese intervention ii
Siberia.
Drive Against Bolsheviki
At any rate, it seems reasonabl;
clear that a big drive in behalf of i
SHARING THE FRUITS OF CONQUEST
of the people brought strenuous objec?
tion from State's Attorney Joseph P
Streuber. Judge Bernreuter sustained
the prosecution.
"If a man threatens to do a citizen
bodily injury, and afterward makes
a motion of violence, the citizen would
have a right to kill him under the
law," said the judge. "But because a
citizen happens to come from an enemy
nation is no reason why his life should
be taken on suspicion that he intends
harm to the community."
State's Attorney Streuber was jubi?
lant over the turn the case is expected
to take. "The state will be fully pre?
pared to meet any defence that involves
the loyalty or disloyalty of the vic?
tim," he said. "The code of Illinois
protects all foreigners, even criminals,
from wanton attack."
Prager's lynching was the result of
rumors current at the Marysville mine,
where he worked, that he planned in
some way to injure the diggings and
endanger the lives of the other miners.
Chargea, of seditious remarks on his
part were made at the time, but were
not substantiated at the coroner's in?
quest. On his body after death was
found a written paper in which he re?
iterated previous statements of loyalty
toward the United States. .
Sheriff Jenkin Jenkins, who was re?
lieved from duty in the case yesterday
when the prosecution charged he was
openly prejudiced in favor of the de?
fendants, was succeeded to-day , by
Figalus Stubbs, Commissioner of High?
ways and former chief of police.
Stubbs brought in one hundred citizens
to be questioned for jury duty, but his
choice apparently was not better than
that of his predecessor.
The county virtually has aligned it?
self in opposing camps, and every citi?
zen so far called has decided opinions
as to what should be done to the de?
fendants. The prospective veniremen
were shunted through the jury box at
the rate of one in every two minutes.
Three men have been acepted tenta?
tively by both state and defence. Don
Medcaff, one of the Sheriff's deputies,
who was accused of partiality to the
defence, was called to-day, but was re?
leased as soon as he was recognized by
Attorney Streuber.
brought down and several others were
compelled to descend, out of control.
The Italian machines all returned
safely.
Official Statement
The text of the official announcement
reads:
"Italian naval units, avoiding patrol
boats and searchlights, succeeded in
entering Pola Harbor early on Tues?
day and in torpedoing an Austrian bat?
tleship of the Viribus Unitis type.
"Simultaneously, Italian "seaplane
squadrons attacked Austrian battle?
planes over Pola, brought down two and
forced several others down out of con?
trol. The Italian machines all returned
safely to their bases."
There are four Austrian battleships
of the Viribus Unitis class, which
comprised the largest and most mod?
ern fighting vessels completed for the
Austrian navy up to the time the Eu?
ropean war broke out. The other
ships of the class are the Tcgetthof,
the Prinz Eugen and the Szent Istvan.
The nameship was completed in Octo?
ber, 1912. and the others at intervals,
between then and the beginning of the
war. with the exception of the Szent
Istvan, which was not finished until
1915.
Each battleship of the class displaces
20,000 tons, is 625 feet long over all,
89 feet beam and 28 feet draft. Their
armament comprises twelve 12-inch and
twelve 5.9-inch guns in the main bat?
tery, with eighteen 11-pounders and
various smaller guns and from two to
six torpedo tubes. The complement of
the battleships ranges from 962 to 988
men. All are heavily armored and arc
classed as dreadnoughts. The Viribus
Unitis developed a speed of 20.9 knots
on her trial trip.
The Italian attack ts believed to be
oart of a comprehensive plan of the
Allies for a more aggressive naval pol?
icy, illustrated in the British opera?
tions before Zeebrugge and Ostend, on
the Flemish coast, and the laying of the
great mine field in the North Sea.
?i. .... ?
VBNC8 PENC1IJS set th? standard of th?
world fur quality. BVV VEM/S.?Advi.
counter movement against the Bolshe
viki is about to be made in Washing?
ton. Kerensky and the others are com?
ing here because if Washington can
be won over there will be united Allied
support for Japanese intervention, or
for a counter revolutionary movement
of some kind. The President has gone
further in indicating sympathy with
and support for the Bolsheviki than
has any one of the Allied powers.
His telegram to the congress of the
Soviets was an approach toward recog?
nition, while his opposition was the
only thing that saved the Bolsheviki
ftom action in Russian territory by
the Japanese.
Still, he has withheld formal recogni?
tion from the Bolsheviki, and it is
probably felt that a man who had the
confidence of the American government
to the extent Kerensky did may ex?
ercise, a powerful influence, at least
against recognition of the Bolsheviki
and perhaps in favor of a counter
movement on the part of some less
radical element.
Diplomatically, Russia has taken the
place the Balkans occupied at the be?
ginning of the war. Germany may
organize Russia's millions and bring
them to her own support, and thus stave
or? the defeat that now threatens. The
Allies by sympathetic and understand?
ing treatment may bring Russia back
into the war on their side a year or
so from now. Every one recognizes
these two possibilities. A mistake
with regard to Russia is the ifravest
mistake that can be made. Yet all
evidence is that the situation, so far
as this country and the Allies are con?
cerned, is simply drifting. There is
no accepted policy, as the difference
of opinion over Japan showed.
. No Diplomatic Unity
And the machinery is lacking for de?
veloping t,n intelligent, policy with re?
gard to Russia, where the war still
may be won or lost. There is no diplo?
matic unity among the Allies and this
country. And none of the Allies has
such a contact with Russia as will
Continued on Page 4, Column S.
U. S. Pledges Allies 1,500,000
Men This Year; Britain Would
Consider Honest Peace Offer
Premier Clemenceau's
Paper Tells of Fight?
ing Force U. S.
Pledges
To Be Backed by
2,000,000 Workers
Allies' Workmen Not
to Replace French in
Factories; Only
for Army
PARIS, May 16.?The United
States has promised to have 1,500,
000 fighting men in France by the
end of 1918, says "L'Homme Libre,"
Premier Clemenceau's newspaper.
These troops, it adds, must have
their own organization and services,
which will mean at least 2,000,000
specialists, workers, men in the
quartermaster's department, and
others.
The newspaper says certain mis?
understandings which had existed
have been cleared up, and that un?
der no circumstances will Allied
workers or soldiers replace French
workers in factories. The presence
of American workers on French soil
will be in direct consequence of the
presence of American fighters on
the front.
America Plans to
Care for 5,000,000
Troops at Profit
LONDON, May 16.?American prep?
arations on the western front are amaz?
ing in their immensity, and plans are
being made to care for 5,000,000 Ameri?
can troops, Harry E. V. Brittain, sec?
retary of the English branch of the Pil?
grims' Club, told the Royal Colonial In?
stitute last night. If the Germans do
not give in, he added, the number of
American troops will be increased to
any amount necessary.
Sir Charles P. Lucas, former head
of the Dominon's Department at the Co?
lonial Office, said he wondered if the
Germans realized what the entry of
America into the war meant. It meant,;
he said, not only the accession to the j
Allied powers of many millions of fight
ing men and the addition of vast re
sources, but also the coming in of the
only one among the great peoples of;
the world who have seen and carried
through to an unmistakable issue a
four years' war.
The United States, asserted Miss Hig-1
gins, of the American labor delegation,,
had answered the call of blood. Eng-1
land had been a wonderful inspiration,;
and the heart of America was full of
gratitude for what England's sons had j
achieved.
?
Enemy's Scheme of
Conquest Shown in
Captured Document
(By The Associated Press)
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE, May 15. ? Germany's condi?
tions of peace are clearly stated in a
document found in a German trench
that was recently recaptured by En?
tente Allied troops. A resume of the
principal conditions, as given in an of?
ficial translation, reads:
"After the enormous sacrifies we
have made of our blood and property
we exact as a necessary minimum to
the preservation and development of
Germany the following:
"Belgium, especially the Flanders ?
coast with Antwerp, is to remain un- I
der German military, economic and ?
political dependence.
"Liberty of the seas shall be prop?
erly established for all nations, the ?
Central Powers being allowed a com- '
mercial fleet totalling 17,800,000 tons,
while that of the Allies should
amount to 10,900,000 tons.
"Our colonies shall be returned
with augmentation.
"We are to have more numerous i
and stronger navai stations. t
"The Longwy and Briey mine fields,
which furnish France its weapons for !
attack, shall become German.
"Readjustments of the frontiers, j
particularly in the Vosges, are to be j
fixed according to the military situ- I
ation and the appreciation of the !
commandant. Our frontiers must be ;
such that their defence is made
easier.
"The-former German Baltic prov?
inces shall be incorporated, their
rich soil furnishing new cereal fields
for German peasant emigrants, thus
protecting the empire against the j
dangers of famine.
"Courland, Lithuania, Livonia and j
Es thon ia are to be colonized.
"One million eight hundred thou- j
sand tons of Rumanian petrol will be
at the disposition of Germany.
"Those nations who attacked peace?
ful Germany must pay all war
charges in raw material, ships,
ready money and territorial conces?
sions, leaving Germany with only five
billions national debt."
Wilson Plans New Peace Statement
WASHINGTON, May 16.?Either through a public address or a
diplomatic note President Wilson in the near future may take occasion
to comment upon and supplement the statement made to-day by For?
eign Minister Balfour in the British House of Commons in connection
with the Austrian peace feelers through Prince Sixtus of Bourbon.
It was authoritatively stated to-day that the American govern?
ment fully reciprocates Mr. Balfour's expressions of confidence and
regard, and has no intention of permitting the machinations of the
enemy to mar the perfect understanding which governs the relations
between the United States and the Entente. Moreover, there is no
public sentiment in this country such as that which appears to exist
in a small but active English pacifist circle, holding it the duty of
that government to consider any kind of peace proposal.
There is no disposition in Washington to complain because this
government was not advised of the Sixtus letter, for it is realized that
the peculiar conditions under which the correspondence with the Aus?
trian? Emperor's brother-in-law was conducted imposed obligations
of confidence. It is pointed out, also, that the United States govern?
ment has not entered into any such formal undertaking as bound the
Entente Allies not to consider peace proposals separately, though Presi?
dent Wilson has declared in his speeches that any peace that would
be acceptable must embody fundamentals upon which America and the
Entente Allies are in complete accord.
Italians Drive
Teutons From
Mountain Line
French Hold Gains Near
Kemmel; New BJow at j
Amiens Expected i
_
Heavy artillery duels, an increase
of large raids and severe air
fighting marked the day on the
critical fronts in Flanders and
France yesterday. Corespondents
agree the principal German effort
--will be direeted~at Amiens.
Berlin claims the ejection of the
French from a captured position
north of Mount Kemmel, south of
Ypres. The latest information
from London is that the French
still hold Hill 44 in this sector, i
The heaviest fighting reported yes?
terday was on the Italian moun- j
taih front between the Brenta
and Piave rivers, where the Ital?
ians are struggling to gain stra?
tegic positions in order to pre?
pare for the expected Austrian
offensive, which is now believed
to be imminent. '
Rome stated the Italians captured i
two trench sectors on Mount Aso- !
lone, about 5,000 feet high, driv
ing out the Austrians. Vienna
declared the Italians were re- j
pulsed in hand-to-hand fighting !
on both Asolone and Pertica, an-1
other 5,000-foot peak, three miles j
from the first named. It is ex-1
pected the principal force of the ?
Austrian offensive will be felt in !
this vicinity.
Austrians to Strike
At Milan in New
Drive Against Italy
LONDON, May 16.?An Austrian I
blow against Italy may be expected
at an early date in the opinion of well
informed observers here. The enemy
project, it is believed generally, com?
prises a great invasion with Milan
and Brescia as the chief objectives in
a scheme to smash the Italian army.
Since the retreat last October the
Italian strategic plan has been recast
and the main defensive positions are I
r.ow held solidly, but it is believed the j
Austrians intend to strike against the j
remaining 150 miles of the original
front west of the Brenta. Along the !
mountain wall stretching from the !
Steivio Pass to Monte Crappa, between
the Brenta and the Piave, the enemy
has the advantage of the positions.
Two Soldiers to
Every Foot, Foe's
Estimated Strength
PARIS, May 16.?There are six Ger- !
mans to the yard on the greater part ;
of the Franco-Belgian front, from the
North Sea to the Oise, according to the
"Gaulois," which bases the statement
on the information it reports having
reached the General Staff that 150 Ger?
man divisions are situated in this area.
Ten of these divisions, it is stated,
are in the region between Nieuport :
and Ypres. forty divisions are between
Ypres and La Bass?e Canal and 100 di- j
visions from La Bass?e Canal to the j
Oise.
On this basis, it is estimated, says the j
newspaper, that the German strength
from Ypres to the Oise is some six !
men to the yard, except on the north- j
em part of the front, above Ypres,
where the estimate is a third of that
number.
(By The Associated Preu)
WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE, May 15.?Every day the num?
ber of trench raids from both sides in
Continued on Page 2, Column 4.
1?T
Foe Plans to
Strike by Air,
Sea and Land
Ludendorff Believed To Be
Waiting Moon's Signal
to Open Attack
By Arthur S. Draper
(Special Cable to The Tribune!
LONDON, May IG.?The lull con?
tinues. Though short, sharp bursts
of fire at various points occur at
frequent intervals, they are not the
big storm itsej^vbut merely signs
that it is brevfjng.
Flanders and the plains of
Picardy are heavy with mud. Every
other day showers sweep over the
battlefield and swell the brooks and
rivers between the belligerents.
There is a general belief that
Ludendorff has timed his blow for
the beginning of next week, when
the moon will be in the same phase
as it was on March 21. Every ounce
of German strength will be put into
the next thrust. On land, on sea
and in the air the enemy will strive
desperately to crush the Allied de?
fences.
Naval Action Expected
The daring British attacks on the
Belgian coast are almost certain to
bring German naval action. Not
r,ince early in March has a German
airplane appeared over the district
around London. When the great
thrust is launched Britain expects
that Germany will use everything?
her bombing airplanes, her U-boats
and destroyers, and possibly her
high seas fleet.
Next week the moon will be in the
right place for nocturnal activity.
It will furnish enough light for the
movement of troops and for aerial
attacks.
Ludendorff will attempt to spring
surprises in the initial stages of the
offensive and depend upon the
weight of his forces to follow up any
early advantages he may gain.
Germany is well supplied with
young officers who are able to act
upon their own initiative, and upon
them will fall the tactical direction
of the coming thrust.
Gas Attacks Likely
If the next blow comes in Flan
ders or at Amiens it is not likely j
that there will be any preliminary j
bombardment. Because neither side
is deeply intrenched, it is probable
that the enemy will hurl over a lot !
of gas shells, followed by a rain of j
high explosives.
Last night he used a lot of gas
shells around Dickebusch Lake, j
south of Ypres, and in the fighting
on the front before Amiens, but the
infantry has remained in the
trenches?
* According to German press re-1
ports, the recent emperors' confer-?
ence resulted in an agreement under \
which Germany and Austria pooled I
their military ?esources. As a mat
ter of fact this makes little differ
once in the situation, as Germany
controlled all cf Austria's military I
operations prior to the conference.
What really happened probably
was that Emperor Charles agreed to :
Ludendorff's demand that Austria '.
strike against Italy. The German '?
militarists dictate Austrian policy
to-day with the same authority that
they handle -affairs at home.
Bal four Says Emperor
Charles's Proposal
Through Prince
Sixtus Was Trap
Declares Wilson
Is Kept Informed
He Denies France Has
Extended Original
Aims Regarding
Return of Alsace
LONDON, May 16.?The British
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Arthur
J. Balfour, in giving explanations in
the House of Commons to-day in con?
nection with Emperor Charles's let?
ter to Prince Sixtus of Bourbon, re?
cently made public by the President
of France, declared that no effort at
conversations has ever been made by
the Central Powers in the interest of
a fair and honorable peace, and he
added:
"If any representative of any bel?
ligerent country desires teriously to
lay before us any proposals we are
ready to listen to them."
The tetter in question had been
examined by a committee of the French
Chamber, said Mr. Balfour. and the
conclusion reached was that it did not
provide an adequate or satisfactory
basis for an honorable peace.
Runciman Questions Answered
Mr. Balfour, in his explanations, re?
plied to questions submitted by the
Right" Hon. Walter Runciman, former
?President of the' Board or" Trffd?, who
: asked whether, when Emperor Charles's
letter was communicated to the French
government and by the French gov?
ernment to the British Prime Minister,
it was communicated to any other of
the Allies, whether the American gov?
ernment had any information as to
what was passing and whether the
Prime Minister had informed the For?
eign Office that the communication had
been shown to him. He also asked
why the negotiations had been dropped,
whether on purely territorial grounds,
or because a demand was made by
France, not only for Alsace Lorraine,
but for the 1S?4 line, or even thejl790
line.
Mr. Badfour explained that he had
no secrets from President Wilson. He
was in America at the time and had
not gone very thoroughly into the mat?
ter. The letter, however, had been
conveyed by Prince Sixtus to Presi?
dent Poincare and the French Premier
under seal of the strictest secrecy.
A Confidential Document
Only the British sovereign and
Premier were to see it. Therefore it
was not communicated to the Presi?
dent of the United States, and the
American government was at the time
no better informed of the facts re?
garding the letter than he was himself.
"I must remind the House," Mr.
Balfour declared, "that there ia n
very natural tendency to treat this
subject as if it were one in which the
British government alone were con?
cerned, and that the opposition or
critics of the day had the right in the
public interest and their own to ex?
tract the- last drop of information
which it'was in the power of the gov?
ernment to give.
"That might be the natural mood for
the House to be in when discussing
ordinary subjects of domestic contro?
versy, but it is not the mood suited to
the delicate question of international
policy.
Ready to Listen
"In international affairs it is not a
good thing necessarily to discourag?
informal attempt? at conversations.
But we have never at any time initi?
ated conversations of that sort. We
have never turned down conversation.?
when other people wished them. If
any representative of any belligerent
country desires seriously to lay before
u? any proposals v.e are ready to listen
to them.
"Of course, we are not going to des!
v.ith them without the cognizance of
our allies. The mere fact that such
conversations are of an informal char?
acter makes that a very improper sub?
ject for discussion in the House. Tha>
is true as a general proposition, ?ml
?'iTiphaticaliy and especially true of the
subject now under discussion.
"The letter to which public atten?
tion is directed was a private letter
written by Emperor Charles to a rela?
tive ( Prince Sixtus of Bourbon) and
conveyed by him to President Poin?
care and the French Premier under
seal of the strictest secrecy, but with
no permission to communicate it to
any one except the sovereign and pre?
mier of this country. The letter wa*
communicated to the French and Eng
lish premiers under these pledges.
Wants Straight Dealings.
?"While I cannot conceive of a mor**
inconvenient method of dealing with ?
grsat transaction, the inconvenience
in this case was not due to any wish
on the part of the British govcrnmeni
or t'r.v British Premier. Directly f??
depart from the ordinary method ?'
conductir.g international affair?, you
land yourself in inevitable difficulties.
"I was in America at the time of
these transactions, and a? they wer*
over when I returned I did net go
into them as intimately as I might
have done."
As to whether any person had been