The New York herald., 1921-07-30
Greatest Diplomatic Explo-
sion in British Politics
Stirs Washington as
Guest Cries 'Lie.'
CLASH BECOMES A FEUD
Assails Lord Curzon as
Liar for Denial That He
Caused Cancellation of
Embassy Dinner.
SUBSTITUTE FEAST GIVEN
Sir Auckland Geddes Causes
Fresh Sensation by Not At
tending-Publisher Calls
on President Harding.
SUBSTITUTE FEAST GIVEN

Special Despatch to The New YosK HnAlp-
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. C., July 20.
Great Britain's flaming political
controversy came to a sensational eli
max in Washington to-day when Lord
Northcliffe passed the lie to Premier
Lloyd George and to Lord Curzon, the
British Foreign Secretary, and took
his case by cable directly to King
George.
Lord Northcliffe angrily denied hc
ever had quoted the King as having
said to the Premier with reference tc
the Irish question: Are you going
to shoot all the people in Ireland!"
The denial followed the receipt OF
press dispatches from London saying
that Lloyd George had read in Parlia-
ment and authorized the statement
from King George in which the King
declared he had been incorrectly
quoted by Lord Northcliffe. S
Lord Northcliffe promptly sent the
following cablegram to Lord Stam-
fordham. the Kings Private Secre-
tary:
Please convey to his Majesty. witt,
my humble duty, my denial of having.
ascribed to his Majesty any sucl.
words as was stated by the Prime
Minister gave no such interview =
severe against Lord Curzon.
Concerning Lord Curzon the put.
Usher was much more severe.
It's a lie," Lord Northcliffe declared
sharply when his attention was In
vited to a statement from the British
Foreign ONCE. which is presided ove'
by Lord Curzon, in which it was de.
MED Lord Curzon had anything to do
with the calling off OF last night /.
dinner planned for Lord Northcliffs .
at the British Embassy here.
"Is there anything further you can
say?" Lord Northcliffe was asked.
What more do you want?" Lord
Northcliffe hastened. Il said 1t was a
lie, didn't -"
Sir Auckland Geddes, the British
Ambassador, who suddenly withdrew
the invitations for the Embassy din
ner in honor of Lord Northcliffe,
failed to attend substitute function
tonight where the London publisher
was the central figure. This dinner
was attended by Cabinet oficers and
other oflcials.
SIR Auckland sent regrets for him.
self and Lady Geddes in the late a.
ternoon and the incident served to
add fuel to the controversy between
Lord Northcliffe on the one side and
Lloyd George and Lord Curzon on
the other
The decision Of Sir Auckland to re-
main away from the dinner caused
almost as much Of sensation as the
word that the Embassy dinner had
been cancelled and the invitations
withdrawn in consequence OF the clash
now Of long standing but growinf:
more severe between the principals q
of the British Government and tn.
most important publisher Of England.
who is In Washington on his way
around the world.
Clash over Disarmament.
At the bottom Of the controversy
is Northcliffe's contention that Lloyd
George and Lord Curzon should not
attend the Washington disarmament
conference because. in his opinion,
they do not represent the present SEN
timent of the British people. and the
resentment OF the British Premier
and Foreign Secretary over what they
call the publishers unwarranted at
tempt to palm himself of as the rep
resentative of Great Britain.
Just how the name Of Lord North
cliffe came TO be mixed up with tho
supposed conversation between Kirx
George and the British Premier is not
exactly clear, for the story has been
going around in the United States
without his name for three weeks or
more; in fact. ever since the time King
George returned to London after his
visit to Ireland. A cable despatch was
received by one Of the American news
papers and syndicated generally. aucf-
ing the King as having said to Lloyd
George: When are you going to. stop
killing my subjects?" The article st
the time attracted sone comment. but
no name was attached TO II as author
ity for the report OF the Interview.
The fact that the supposed conversa-
tion has hecn brought into u,,cetion