The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-12
Labor's Representative in Brit
i.h Cabinet Found His Posi-
ton Untenable
BRITISH SAILORS WON'T
CARRY DELEGATES
Declare Peace a Mockery Until
Germany Sues For 1t Point
ing to Hundreds Of Their
Brethren Murdered

London. Aug. 1l-Arthur Hender-
son Is out Of the cabinet
The labor leaders resignation ten
dered today as the Inevitable conee-
quenee OF yesterdays decision of the
British labor party to send delegates
to the Stockholm peace conference
was Immediately accepted by Premier
Lloyd George.
The two burning questions of the
day now are:
l. Will the breach between British
organized labor and the government
widen and result in the gravest caoi-
net crisis OF the war;
2. How will the British deleg ates
get to Stockholm when every sailor
and stoker In Great Britain refuses
to lend q hand toward carrying them
thither7
Virtually overnight the proposed
conference previously regarded as
more or less fantastic, ultra fdealistic
drama OF handful OF proponents OF
the Brotherhood OF Man has sprung
into the center OF the political arena
not only In England. but IN every
other belligerent and neutral coun-
try.
Csnfronts All Europe.
II Ia an issue that confronts the
central powers with the same stub
born determination that II does tie
allies. Tho governments of the BAL
ligerent nations arc not opposed to
II on principle. They do not object IN
discussion Of peace and even Of
peace terms. But the fear that hsunts
them all IL that organized labor Of
Europe will after II has esta hftshed
common meeting ground OF the
workers lay down tho law to the gov
ernments and say: Make peace now
and Immediately. Here are the termsT'
| Such an uitimatum. II Is feared.
would be accomplished by a threat Of
general strike throughout Europe.
That would reduce the governments
to puppets in the hands OF Europe's
working mAsses- And the peace these
masses would decide would be a peace.
II Is feared that would bring In Its
wake a terrific clash between capital
fAnd iapSr with the latter. irfroxftsfea
by triumph. making more and more
stringent demands such rs have Largo
lly led to Russia's industrial and econ
omio collapse.
LIcyd-GecrEe May Speak.
was silent on the British governments
was silent on the british governments
proposed future policy toward ti~
Stockholm plan. n was whispered 10
wefl-informed quarters that LlovA-
George would have something decnite
70 say Monday. The general BELIEF
Is that the action Of the British labor
party has forced the premier and he
conferees to consult Enxland's alice
with the view 70 deciding upon .
common policy.
From Petrograd came unofficial pa
ports quoting Premier Kerensky ~
saying that while the Russian gov
eminent VIII place no obstacles II
the way Of Russian representation ~
Stockholm the decisions Of the con
ference would IN no way bind II -
regards peace and peace terms
! Position Becomes Untenable.
| That is also the attitude taken BY
Arthur Henderson. To those who know
this leader of labor the charge taat
ne Is playing into the hands Of Bril-
tain's enemies seems trag-comical
On the fifteenth Of next month II will
be year that Henderson suffered
the most painful blow OF his life: his
son was killed on the front that day.
But no one. not even he himself. dis
putes tho fact that his position a .
member Of the British war council
hecame untenabIe the moment he
placed his o. X. on the Stockholm
conference. He was the frst to real
ix0 this. he oHered mis- foHISuatioA
It was turned down. His folloYers
argue that II he had since placed
the government in an extremely en-
barrassing position those who insisted
on his staying are to blame, not he
On the other hand II II realized that
the powers to be had no other course
open than to prevail upon him to stay,
For with him out Of the cabinet the
strongest labor representative Of
Great Britain Is Qua ana under the
circumstances now prevailing the onus
of his "resiEnation" falls automatical-
lily upon the government.
There Is a sharp difference between
this man who worked himself up
from a moulder to a powerful political
position and the spectacular Ramsay
Macdonald Henderson has gone on rec
ord and did SO again emphatically
yesterday at the Westminster meet
ing as opposing conclusions of peace
n