4 AUGUST 1917, Page 2

Mr. Balfour in the House on Monday made an important

speech, showing clearly why the Governmenteould not enter Intodetailed expositions of the war aims of-the Allies. . In, their broad principles our war aims. are well known. -How these principles. shall -be applied must depend on. the .fortunes of war and on changing circumstances—of whklis we may remark, the Russian Revolution affords one notable example. Great Britain: did not 'enter the war with any selfish purpose, said Mr. Balfour, and never .covoted any European territory. Our Ally, France, who was forced into. this war by Germany, must necessarily be helped to recover Alsace- Lorraine, though she is not•Aghting for the lost provinces, but for her very existence. Our main object is to rearrange the map of

Europe so as to make it far harder for the malevolent forces to disturb the peace. We cannot free Germany from her fetters ; she must do that for herself. But "the security of Europe will not be established until Germany is powerless or is made free."