New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-25
Deposed British Cabinet
Member Looks to Social.
lists to Bring Upheaval
Backs StockholmStand
Ayers Meeting Would Do
Much to Create Dissension
in Fatherland


LONDON, Sept. l4.-Belief that Ger
many is ripe for revolution was ex-
pressed by Arthur Henderson, deposed
Labor representative in the British
War Cabinet, in an interview here in
the Weekly Dispatch" justifying his
attitude in favor of the Stockholm
conference.
Nothing is further from my mind"
he said, than concurrence in peace
settlement that would not be final,
democratic and lasting. An inconclu-
Slve peace would be dishonorable
peace, and We have no desire to parley
with unrepentant military despots
The final peace must be peoples
peace, and one of the terms. in which
there can be no compromise, must be
the final and complete abolition of ir-
responsible autocratic government.
Says People Were Tricked
Il consider a democratized Germany
an indispensable condition, and the
most effective way of bringing this
home to the German people would be
through the representatives of the
working-clasS organizations.
Must Establish Good VIII
Both before the war and during
actual hostilities the German people
-,
even now they are by no means cogni-
zant of the vital facts and develop
ments Of the international situation.
They will continue TO remain hood
winked and ignorant until the war
ends, unless the Allies find means of
placing IN their possession a complete
and undistorted statement of the facts.
TO my mind. the only satisfactory
channel Of communication is through
the German Socialists, and particu-
larry the German minority Socialists
The German Socialists are the
strongest political party in Germany.
When they learn that the people Of Al
lied countries are determined that
there shall be no compromise between
autOcracy and democracy, and that they
Will have 10 set their own house in or
der before their country can figure in
the visiting list of the Allies, there
may be big results.
Not an After-War Problem
81 do not accept the suggestion that
the overthrow of absolutist government
and the characterization of the machin-
cry of government is an after-war
problem, and | have reason TO know
that this also is the view of some of
the best Socialists of Germany.
II do not accept the view that the
form of government in Germany is one
for the German people to decide for
themselves. So long as German i'm
perialism stayed in Germany II re-
manned a problem for the German peo-
pie themselves 20 solve. But immedi-
ately il thrust its unwelcome and dew
astating feet across the frontiers Of
Belgium and France and Serbia, it be-
came a menace TO all peoples, and they
are all now vitality concerned in its
total extinction.
I've have it in our power TO
strengthen enormously the hands Of
the Socialists in Germany who are anx-
ious to break forever the power and
authority of the Kaiser and his mill
tary chiefs.
"The soil is fertile in Germany,
ready for the sowing; the sower is at
hand. All that is lacking is the seed,
which we can supply in abundance.
so am in favor of conference in
order that we may hand over to the
German Socialists unlimited supplies
of seed for the revolution for which
] am convinced Germany is ripe