New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-30
Error in Gable Blamed
For Northclife Dispute

The British Premier-s attack yester-
day in the House of Commons on Lord
Northcliffe for giving out in an inter
view the story of a conversation on
Ireland that Lloyd George was sup
posed to have held with King George
was based on what apparently was an
error in cable transmission. The story
was not given out by Lord Northcliffe,
but was attributed to n. Wickham
Steed, editor of The London Times.
Mr.. Steed, who had arrived in New
York the preceding day with Lord
Nortkcliffe, said in an interview that
the King had been playing large part
In the Irish negotiations.
:. ut is not generally known" he con-
tinued, "that under the constitutional
form of government the King has still a
good deal of power when he chooses to
use 1t. In this case he has done so with
good effect"
Tells Of Supposed Talk
Mr.. Steed then related the converse
ton the King was supposed to have
had with Lloyd George at their last
meeting. In this conversation the
King was said to have asked the
Premier if he was going to shoot all
the people in Ireland. Continuing, Mr.
Steed said:
King George went to Ireland in
tending. to make his own speech, lust
ss his uncle, the Duke of Connaught,
dld last year in India. The King
spoke as the head of the British EN-
pire and not as King of England or
OF Ireland. He got under the skin of
the Irish people by his generosity, and
that is what gave them confidence in
the peace overtures, which they would
not have felt in the Lloyd George
Cabinet without his backing.
1T was the King too who saw
Smuts and got him interested in the
Irish question. I know that the latter
had great deal to do with winning
over the Sim Feiners to the idea Of
conference and making peace with
England without separation from the
empire. He told them what he knew
about the ideal republican government
and that they were just as we'll off with
the constitutional form of government
in Great Britain under their own local
management.
Action Followed Quickly
"When Lloyd George and the Cabinet
realized the feeling of the King and
the people on the question of peace
with Ireland, the invitation to De Va
lera to come to London followed in
forty-eight hours.
when King George sailed for Ire
forts by making speeches in the Lords
and Commons three hours afterward,
which were intended to irritate the
Irish people. This annoyed the English
people very much, and when the King
returned he had the biggest reception
outside of buckingham Palace he had
ever received since the war began, in
August, 1914.
II notice." continued Mr.. Steed
10 ~ i
the terms purported to have been Of
Tered to DE Valera for the Irish peo-
pie. Ihat may mean the oath of allie
glance to King George may not have
TO De taken by the members of the Par
lament when it meets in Dublin, as
that was always the stumbling block
years ago. The King has probably said
10 the Cabinet, y trust them"
Times Issues Statement
The New York Times last night is
sued the following statement explain
ing the interview with Wickham Steed.
editor OF The London Times, which it
puohsned Monday, and which was en-
roneously attributed to Lord North
chhe when republished in some news
papers abroad Ae"o
Inc interview with Mr. Wickham
oteed, editor of The London Times
paDnshed IN The New York Times last
.mohaay, was written by Trustworthy
s sspereer; who believes that he reported
sssiy What Mr. Steed said. Mr..
contains matter which should not d'; have ye
~. ~reed did not have
-, atreanitg to revise the intervisw
~ ~ repglnted in England-in one Of
frora N.orthcliffe's own papers, accord.
t zig 70 .. the cable dispatches-it appears
sr; aa .ne interview N was incorrectly at
=,
lord NorthclifFe has not given '' to ri,
Times. nor has The Times renorta ns
hlm as giving. any statement of = nu NV
ported conversation between Kino
George v: and MIR. David Lloyd Georpee
Editor The Times" 'se'