The sun., 1917-08-14
HENDERSON AND
PREMIER IN TILT
Both Agree That Stockholm
Dispute Shouldn't Be
Aired Fully.

LONDON, Aug. 13.-Arthur Henderson,
Labor leader. who on Saturday resigned
from the war Cabinet, in which he had
been Minister without portfolio, made
his anticipated statement to-day in the
House of Commons in defence OF his at
titude before the Labor conference last
Friday, when he favored the sending of
delegates to the international Socialist
congress al Stockholm During the ses-
sion David Lloyd George, the Prime
Minister, again reiterated the Govern
ments position in the premises.
Mr.. henderson in opening his address
complained against the unprecedented
press campaign against myself and the
difficulty, II not the impossibilty, of
flnding precedent in history for the
conduct pursued by the Prime Minister
ond his colleagues in regard to the case"
The press campaign" Mr.. Henderson
continued, was so perfected that the
first l knew that my resignation had
been accepted was through the Pail Mall
Gazette. After the decision of the labor
conference on Friday | interviewed the
Prime Minister, who made clear that my
retaining the secretaryish p OF the Labor
party was incompatible with my re-
manning In the War Council When /
came to a choice only one course was
mine.
Postpones Full ExpInnation.
III the fully story in regard TO the
Stockholm conference must be told, in
the national interest it should not be
told now, and ! am content TO join the
list of ex-Ministers who are awaiting the
opportunity to state the full facts of
their cases without prejudice to the na-
tional interests.
"On my return from Russia I pro-
posed visit to France, which was un-
der consideration at a special meeting
OF the War Cabinet twenty-four hours
before my leaving and which Mr.. Lloyd
George di d,ot attend. It being the de-
cision of the Labor party that should
go, ! wired the Prime Minister inform
ing him OF my position and l could make
this comment, that the Prime Minister
and his colleagues who issued a docu-
ment to the press charging me with
Withholding information about the con-
ference, have been convicted before the
House of intimatlng that the whole ar
| rangements for the trip to Paris were
made without their knowledge"
Premier Lloyd George interrupted Mr..
Henderson at this point by saying;
Il would like to ask my honora BILE
friend what hes means by saying that
he sent a wire to me at Paris stating
! his position. Does he mean to suggest
that he wired me that a decision had
been taken by the Labor party execu-
| tive? The only message received was
one stating that he was coming to Paris
with four Russian delegates. There
was nothing Of the decision of the Labor
party"
Henderson Insists.
/ Mr.. Henderson insisted that his state
ment was in strict harmony with his
| position.
After the decision had been taken
with regard to my visit TO Paris" he
said. II intimated that to the Prime
Minister and that was the subject of a
special Cabinet meeting"
Andrew Bonar Law. Chancellor OF the
Exchequer, interrupted the speaker say
| ing:
| IT really must put the facts before
the House. The Prime Minister was alb
sent and his colleagues here had no
knowledge whatever from Mr. Hender-
son OF his intention to go to Paris with
Mr.. (James Ramsay Macdonald. We
discovered 1t first in this telegram which
VISA circulated to us. After seeing the
telegram l summoned the Cabinet to
deal with It. We clearly expressed 10
Mr.. Henderson our disaproval, but he In
timated that II was decided upon and he
must go, In those circumstances / was
not able further to interfere with him.
Mr.. Henderson accepted Mr.. BonaI
Laws statement but said that 1t did
not clear Mr.. Bonar Law or the Cabinet
from the fact that they had intimated
to the House that all the arrangements
were made without the Cabinets knowl.
edge The speaker added that ne in.
formed the War Cabinet OF his recon-
mendations to the Labor party executive
to accept the invitation TO the Stock
holm conference II the conference were
made consultative instead of mandatory
There was n sharp division within the
Cabinet, and he offered to resign.
Kept waiting One Hour.
Continuing, Mr. Henderson said:
Returning from Paris | gave thu
Prime Minister full and faithful state
ment of my personal position and my
reasons for advocating attendance at tn,
conference. At the close of the conver
sation Mr.. Lloyd George asked me to at
tend a special meeting Of the Cabinet
but when 1 arrived / was tol dto walt
which did for an hour
THE Minister Of Pensions. Mr., Barnes
was sent out with the message. in
sisted on my right to address the Cabine
and not communicate through an inter
mediary and was invited In. Mr.. Lloy'
George said had been asked to wal
outside out of regard for my feelings
| I protested then that the Paris visit ha
been discussed. The same evening
Stockholm loomed In the Commons de
bate. ! was surprised at the week en-
that the subject had not been raised 8
the Cabinet.
Last Tuesday asked the Prime Min
lister when he would consider Stockholm
he replying that no hoped at the mex
II