New-York tribune., 1918-03-06
British Labor Chief Opens
Fight for a "People:s Peace
Arthur Henderson Declares Cancellation Among Workers
of Warning Nations Would Insure Fall of
Nlitarism-F1ts Secret Treaties

LONDON. March 5.-The campaign
has begun Arthur Henderson, former
member of the War Council. finding
that the secretaryship of the Labor
party compels him to spend most OF
sign his seat in the House Of Com
mons from the Barnard Castle division
Of Durham and has been invited to con-
test the Southern division of Eastman.
Mr.. Henderson addressed a meeting
last night in Eastman, making strong
appeal for the abolition OF secret
diplomacy, for peace by conciliation and
for league OF nations. He said that
before the war began the people had
irtrusted foreign affairs to statesmen
and diplomatists and were paying dear
IS for their neglect. 1t had to be recog-
II zed that no greater disaster had oc
CURED in the course of the war than
the fatal omission to do the utmost to
keep Premier Kerenskv end his govern
ment in power in Russia The people
must be on their guard against repe
tition of the same fatal policy over a
wider field.
1t is highly improbable, Mr.. Hender-
son declared, that the war can be ended
~ a decisive Prussian military tri-
umph. 1t might end by process of ex-
haustion, and that meant Il continuance
Q the war. with all its horrors, until
the destruction of human life and ma
torial OF one or both sets Of belligerents
made continuation impossible. Such a
termination would be disaster of the
first magnitude to mankind
There remains, he said, a third alter
rative-a policy of Cancellation through
the combined forces of labor and So
clalism to secure real peoples peace.
That did not mean a surrender to the
enemy, or a patched-up peace, or peace
az any price, nor that the people are
willing to condone German brutality or
tc leave Germany with all her power
ioI mischief unimpaired.
What the policy of cancellation
meant was the destruction OF mill
tarism, not only in Germany but every
where
Mr.. Henderson then recited the well
known war aims of the Labor party
including league OF nations He said
ondt Such league implied the COM
pletc decentralization of the machinery
of government in all countries, the sup
preston OF the greed Of diplomacy and
'he publication OF treaties, which must
mover contravene the stipulatIons of
the league nations. 1t meant the CON
corted abolition of compulsory mill
tary service in all countries, to be pre-.
pared tor by common limitation OF
armaments. and also that they must
ABANDON every suggestion of an eco
ncmic boycott or Of the financial or
commercial isolation Of Germany.
The speaker quoted a recent speech
OF Philip Scheidemann. the German
majority Socialist leader, and article
III the Socialist "Vorwarts" proving
that there was a struggle in the Cen
trai Powers between the military caste
and the forces Of democracy. The peo-
pie must help the forces OF democracy
IN Germany to the utmost
The German policy toward Russia
made the possibility of peace by con
citation much more remote. The people
must convince the German people tha
victory for such ruthless militarism
would fasten permanently upon demo-
cratic nations the awful burden Of
armaments and enforced service. and
that the greater the German success on
the battlefield the more remote was
world peace.
we must tell the German Socialists. :"