THE FISHED INCIDENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 144, 10 August 1911, Page 6

THE FISHED INCIDENT.

MR. STEAD AFFIRMS TRUTH OF INTERVIEW. London, August 9. Mr. W. T. Stead has returned from his visit to the Balkans, and affirms the absolute accuracy of the Usher interview. He exhibited his letterbank showing that the printer’s proofs of the interview were sent to Mr. Fisher on July Ist. Mr. Fisher did not return them, and it was assumed that silence gave consent to publication. “When Mr. Fisher said, as i perfectly well remember he did in so many words,” continued Mr. Stead, “that though he did not contemplate any such event, Australia might haul down the Hag and start on "her own rather than be involved in an unjust war, he but uttered the obvious truth.” Mr. Stead cannot conceive anyone familiar with Mr. Fisher’s views finding anythin" in the interview either novel or original. Mr. Stead made no notes. He never docs when he interviews. His recollections, however, are perfectly clear of this brief conversation, and he wrote - the interview at once.

Mr. Stead several times referred to Mr! Fisher as having used the phrase about hauling down the Hag if it were otherwise impossible to avoid participation in a war which Australia considered unjust. f 'Mr. Stead was led to sock the interview' because of Mr Fisher’s speech at the Imperial Conference in favour of wider international conferences. t ton at icrmat van.’a ■■■:-! Iciiir,o;