New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-14

entire crisis would have been avoided.
Mr.. Henderson impressed the House
considerably by showing that the ques-
ton Of his visit to Paris was the sub
ject OF a special Cabinet meeting. and
much sympathy was aroused in his be-
half by his having been kept waiting
for an hour outside the doors Of
Cabinet meeting, and the fact that he
first learned through the columns OF
an evening newspaper that his resigna-
ton had been accepted.
Lloyd George Sticks TO Guns
The debate in the House Of Commons
did nothing to reconcile the conflict OF
evidence between Mr.. Lloyd George and
Mr.. Henderson as to the line Mr.. Hen
derson intended 70 take at last Fri
DAYS labor conference. Mr.. Lloyd
George maintained that the ministers
had received the impression that Mr..
Henderson intended TO turn down the
Stockholm conference, whiIe MI; men
0GrSOn
that he would take any other course
than that he bad followed.
He said had he been asked to state
the governments position to Fridays
conference he would have had no al
tentative but TO resign.
The minister spoke with great bitter
ness Of what he characterized the
shameful treatment he had suffered at
tho hands Of the Premier.
He said there was no better press
bureau than the one controlled by the
Prime Minister. Before he resigned
he had had a dose Of IL, and since his
resignation he had had an overdose. lie
admitted that in the hurry Of the mo-
ment he did not fully explain TO the
conference the situation as shown IN
the telegram from the Russian gov
eminent, but he had no authority to
quote government dispatches and no
thought of withholding information
which he was entitled to reveal to the
conference.
Mr.. Henderson in opening his adj
dress complained of the "unprecedent--
ed press campaign against myself ana
the difficulty, if not the imposslbility,
of finding a precedent IN history for
the conduct pursued by the Prime MIN
lister and his colleagues IN regard 10
the case" u,
SON continued, "was so perfected that
the first / knew that my resignation
had been accepted was through the
Pail Mall Gazette
Selected His Own Choice
after the decision of the labor, CON
ference on Friday | interviewed the
Prime Minister, who made clear tnaV
nv retaining the secretaryshlp OF the
Labor party was incompatible with my
remaining in the War Council. When
II came to a choice only one course was
mine. A..
"If the full story in regard to the
Stockholm conference must be told IN
the national interest 1t should not De
told now, and | am content to JOIN tne
list of ex-ministers who are aWail'ng
the opportunity TO state the full tacts
of their cases without preJuoice 10 'ne
national interests.
"On nv return from Russia / pro-
nosed a visit to France, which was
under consideration at special meet
ING of the War Cabinet twenty-four
hours before my leaving and when
Mr.. LLOYD George did not attend. IL
beinp the decision of the Labor party
that | should 60, I wired the Prime
Minister, informing him of my posi-
tion, and | could make this comment,
that the Prime Minister and his col
leagues who issued a document to the
nress charging me with Withholding
information about the conference, have
been convicted before the House of in
timating that the whole arrangements
for the trip to Paris were made with
out their knowledge
Premier Interrupts
Premier Lloyd George interrupted
Mr.. Henderson at this point by saying:
81 would like to ask my honorable
friend what he means by saying that
he sent wire to me at Paris stating
his position. Does he mean to suggest
that he wired me that q 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
Mr. Henderson insisted that his
statement was in strict harmony with
mis- position.
after the decision had been taken
with regard to my visit 70 Paris, he
said. 81 intimated that to the Prime
Minister and that was the subject OF
a special Cabinet meeting
Bonar Law Explains
Andrew Bonar Law, Chancellor OF
the Exchequer, interrupted the speaker,
saying: ~
II really must put the facts before
the House. The Prime Minister was
absent and his colleagues here had no
knowledge whatever from Mr.. Hender-
son Of his intention to 60 TO Parls
with Mr.. (James Ramsay Macdonald.
We discovered it first in this telegram
which was circulated to us. After see
ing the telegram, | summoned the Cab
met 70 deal with il. We clearly eX-
pressed TO Mr.. Henderson our disap-
proval, but he intimated that it was