THAT CONFERENCE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7920, 18 August 1917, Page 3

THAT CONFERENCE.

DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS, KERENSKY’S VIEWS. Australian & N.Z. Cable Association. (Received This Day, 9 a.m.) LONDON, August 17. In the House of Commons, in discussing the motion for adjournment of the House, Mr Ramsay Macdonald drew attention to M. Kerensky’s views on the Stockholm Conference, notably the “Daily News’ ” interview. The Government had been misrepresenting his views. When men of international interest conferred it would be found that little remained worth fighting about, and peace would soon come.

Mr Bonar Law denied that the House had been misinformed. Mr Lloyd George was so struck with M. Kerensky’s spontaneous telegram that he asked Mr Henderson to disclose it, pointing out that the conference was a party concern, and its decision did not bind the Russian Government. Mr Bonar Law added that the Government’s attitude in regard to passports was unchanged. .Mr Snowden contended that M. Kerensky was not opposed to the conference. The Government’s attitude was inconsistent with M. Kerensky’s view that no obstacle should be put in the way. He moved an amendment for reducing the period of the recess, owing to the critical outlook. ;

The amendment was negatived. Mr Bonar Law announced that in the event of a crisis, for example an armistice, occurring during the recess, Parliament would immediately reassemble. %

The Labor Party Executive will submit a resolution to the conference when it reassembles on Tuesday reiterating the desirableness of the party participating in the Stockholm Conference, regretting the refusal of the Government to issue passports, and recommending representations to the Government thereon.

The “Daily News’ ’’ Petrograd correspondent interviewed M. Kerensky, who said that a wrong deduction had been drawn from the Russian telegram to London regarding the Stockholm Conference. He explained that as the conference was a party matter Russia’s Coalition Government could not be bound thereby. It neither favored nor disapproved of it. He personally thought the Allied Governments’ opposition was playing into Germany’shands.