SOCIALIST CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16620, 17 August 1917, Page 5

SOCIALIST CONFERENCE.

REFUSAL OF PASSPORTS.

REPRESENTATION TO CABINET

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 7 p.m.) LONDON. August 15.

It is the intention of Mr. Henderson to ask the Labour Conference on Tuesday to re-affirm its decision in favour of representation at the Socialist Conference at Stockholm.

The Daily News states that the executive of the Labour Party has received from the organising bureau at Stockholm an assurance that the Socialist Conference will be consultative, not mandatory.

LONDON. August 15.

It is expected that the Government will immediately be challenged in the House of Commons upon the refusal of passports to the representatives appointed by the Labour Conference to the international Socialist Conference at Stockholm. The executive of the Labour Party issued a report to to-day's meeting, at which, it states, confidence was expressed in Mr. Henderson. The report reviewed the entire situation, and included a telegram from M. Huysmans and M. Branting, Swedish Socialist leaders, saying that they still considered it important that the Entente case should be presented. The executive resolved that it was desirable that delegates should attend the Stockholm Congress to prevent the British Labour Party's views being misrepresented and misunderstood. It regretted the refusal of passports, and decided to make representations to the ] Government on the matter. It appointed eight delegates, including Mr. Henderson, to interview the Cabinet.

It is rumoured that Mr. Lloyd George contemplates a general election if the Labour Conference adhere? to its intention to take part in the Stockholm Conference. The executive of the Labour Conference, including Mr. Arthur Henderson, discussed the new sitvation in regard to the proposed conference at Stockholm, the position of which is at present vague.

Some Labour supporters resent Mr. Henderson's exclusion from the Cabinet.

GERMAN COMMENT.

(Reed. 9 D.m.)

AMSTERDAM. August 15.

The German Socialist newspaper Vorwarts says: "The resignation of Mr. Henderson is the prelude to the downfall of Mr. Lloyd George's Cabinet. The French, Russian, and British Governments are shaking dangerously; nevertheless we warn Germans against nursing the hope that the Entente crisis will lead to peace."