"A GROTESQUE INTERVIEW"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 194, 6 May 1918, Page 5

"A GROTESQUE INTERVIEW"

Sir Frederick Smitli, the British At-, torncy-Gcneral, recontly :ctarncd lo London at the conclusion of his AincnCa 'nvß 'Mtornoy-GcncraVs attention was; directed to the report oi an alleged interview with him which appeared in ho "Boston Post," extracts from which had been reproduced m this country.; Sir Frederiok said:— • "I have already completely denied this grotesque interview, the absurdity of which I should have thought would satisfy any sensible person that it was not genuine. I was alleged to have said that I threatened to resign if Casement was not executed, and that I gloried in Casement's death. Apparently it was suggested that I niado such a statement tor publication, knowing that every one of. my colleagues would bo aware ot its falsity. I was also alleged to have Bald in tho same interview that Sir E. Car-! eon was a sick and nervous man. Tha't was before Sir Edward's resignation. Tho probability of such a statement can bo conjectured. The trend of this threecolumn interview, based on a few minutes' desultory conversation, was to make uuschiet with tho Irish. One of my principal objects wherever I went was to. consolidate all sections of Irish opinion. To that end I co-operated closely witii Mr. T. V. O'Connor during my lour., in America and Canada I gave forty-cighti interviews, and 'I never thought it necessary to ask for a proof. Jn no case except the 'Boston Post' interview have X been misrepresented." Sir Iredwick added that it was a strange coincidence that had intended when he lcft. bugl,nd • s he had (hen arranged lo Mo ■> ; wso in uw Court on Monday, February 18. •