BONDS OF EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16560, 8 June 1917, Page 6

BONDS OF EMPIRE.

MR, BALFOUR IN CANADA. COMMON AIMS AND IDEALS. OTTAWA, May 29. A magnificent reception was given to Mr. A. J. Balfour, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Escorted by the military, and attended by a distinguished retinue, Sir. Balfour passed along the streets from Government House to the Parliament Building, where he addressed the assembled members of both branches of the Legislature. The Speaker, Mr. Rhodes, cordially welcomed Mr. Balfour to Canada. He referred to the valuable public services of Mr. Balfour during his long career, and specially emphasised the importance of his mission to America, which he believed would greatly help the cause all had at j heart. He hoped that Mr. Balfour, on his return to the Mother Country, would feel justified in delivering this message from Canada: —"Wo stand firmly with Britain and the other Dominions and allies in the fixed determination that the great principles for which wo are fighting will be maintained, and that to the measure of our abilty we are prepared willingly to bear a full sharo of the common burden."

There was great cheering as Mr. Balfour rose to reply. The galleries sang "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Mr. Balfour said that it was with profound emotion that he met tho Houses of Parliament, many of whose members were his personal friends. There had been nothing more unexpected to the outside world than the self-sacrifice' with which the selfgoverning Dominions had thrown themselves into this conflict. The Germans had calculated that this was a fair-weather Empire, ready to tremble at the first attack, but affection and sentiment and common aims and ideals had proved the true strength of this experiment in govern- j ment when the war burst upon the world. No greater miracle had ever happened than the way in which the confederated democracies had worked together, in the spirit of self-sacrifice to preserve civilisation and the liberty of the State. Germany was fighting for her own eelfcentred interests, with allies who mistrusted her. Austria was not working with Germany as Britain was working with France, or the Dominions with each other. The same was true, with qualifications, ff Bulgaria and Turkey. They were not allowed to use their own resources to their own ends, but were drawn into the great vortex of German ambition, and if Germany won the war they were destined to be subordinate Powers.

Because the Avorld now knows that the ■war iras deliberately arranged by the Gorman military oastd wherever you find a free democracy, the spirit of liberty abroad, and that great spirit of selfSevelopment on national lines, there you ■will find friends of the allies and enemies of the Central Powers. We are convinced that there is only one form of government—whatever it is called—namely, where the ultimate control is in the hands of the people. We have staked our last dollar on that, and if democracy fails us we will be bankrupt indeed; but we know that democracy wQI not fail us. (Cheers) You cannot have a democracy without parties and a division of opinion; but democracies have proved themselves capable of uniting in the face of great difficulties for the common good. "If you have these difficulties," Mr. Balfour said, "don't for a moment let your faith fail you. (Cheers.) The message you asked me to convey to the Motherland I shall certainly give. I certainly believe it is true. . I also believe that democracies will emerge from CEis struggle victorious, not merely in a military sense, but with tha lesson fully learned that patience will overcome v all' difficulties. I shall also bear the message back that the spirit here is not less ardent, less resolute, less devoted, or less animated by the determination to achieve final victory than that which animates themselves." (Loud cheering.)