20 MAY 1916, Page 2

Mr. Balfour went on to say some very wise things

in regard to international law and authority, and American and British co- operation. We only wish we had space to deal with a piece of political philosophy so sound and so illuminating. He ended by declaring that if any substantial effort was to be made towards ensuring the permanent triumph of the Anglo-Saxon ideal in regard to international right, the great communities which accepted it must work together :- " And in working together they must bear in mind that law is not enough. Behind law there must be power. It is good that arbitration should be encouraged. It is good that the accepted practices of warfare should become ever more humane. It is good that before peace is broken the would-be belligerents should be compelled to discuss their differences in some congress of the nations. It is good that the security of the smaller States should be fenced round with peculiar care. But all

the precautions are mere scraps of paper unless they can be enforced. Wo delude ourselves if we think wo are doing God service merely by passing good resolutions. What is needed now, and will be needed so long as militarism is unconquered, is the machinery, for enforcing them and the contrivance of suet' a machinery will tax to its utmost the statesmanship of the world."