MR BALFOUR'S HELPFUL WORDS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 67, 20 March 1911, Page 5

MR BALFOUR'S HELPFUL WORDS.

AN ANGLO-SAXON ALLIANCE

WOULD DO MORE HARM THAN

GOOD

LONDON, March It Sir Edward Grey, presiding at the Internatiojial Arbitration. JLeague dinner, acknowledged the cordial sincerity underlying Mr BalfourV helpful words, and recognised fchat the Unionists had initiated arbitration treaties. He explained that he did not intend to convey the idea that a general arbitration treaty between the two great nations was tantamount to a, .defensive alliance, though if one became the object of attack under circumstances stated he should think there would be a strong sympathy between the two Powers. That matter was dependent upon public opinion, but the introduction of such a condition into the treaty might impair the chances of Great Britain elsewhere, and lead others to suppose that the treaty was aimed at them. This would completely spoil its possible effect in mitigating the expenditure on armaments. Mr Ramsay Macdonald states that while acquiescing in the readjustment of the relations between the Lords and the Commons, he would strenuously oppose the preamble of the Parliament Bill creating another Second Chamber. He rejoiced at the arbitration aspirations, but they' would do more harm than good if- the orinion got abroad that there was going to be an Anglo-Saxon alliance imposing its will upon the whole world. V , j The Free Churches have arranged special references to the Taft-Grey arbitration overtures in to-morrow s sermons. L