ALLEGED LIBEL

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15866, 12 December 1923, Page 5

ALLEGED LIBEL

JEWS AND JUTLAND.

2.ORD DOUGLAS ON TRIAL. JUSTIFICATION PLEADED. The aotion brought by Mr Winston Churchill, against Lord Alfred Douglas, for alleged libel contained in published statements concerning Mr Churchill's action in connection with the announcement of the Battle of Jutland, has opened. Defendant alleged that Mr Churchill was a party to manipulating a communique In order that the Cassel Syndicate could exploit the situation for private gain.

Received December 12, 12.30 p,m LONDON, December 11.

The trial of Lord Alfred Douglas OB a charge of libelling Mr Winston Churchill has opened at the Old Bailey, which was crowded. Lord Douglas pleaded not guilty; also that his statements were true, justified, and for the public benefit. Mr Churchill, owing to misconduct and incompetence, should be prevented from holding further high office of State. The statements complained of were published in a pamphlet entitled "The Murder of Kitchener, and the Truth about the Battle of Jutland and the Jews," in which Lord Alfred Douglas alleged that Sir Ernest Cassel gave Mr < Churchill a large sum for issuing a false report of the Battle of Jutland, thereby assisting to bring off a finan- ; cial coup. The Attorney-General, for the prosecution, said the alleged libel averred that the Sir Ernest Cassel syndicate was the result of a plot with Mr Churchill to publish a false report of the Battle of Jutland, that the -syndicate made £18,000,000 on British stocks, and £36,000,000 on German stocks, and that Mr Churchill was given a present worth £40,000. The Attorney-General claimed that every statement in the alleged libel was false. The communique was not issued by Mr Churchill, but by Mr Balfour, and Mr Churchill was not aware of it. The communique drawn up by Mr Balfour was based on a telegram from Admiral Lord Jellicoe. The only document Mr Churchfil wrote in connection with Jutland was an appreciation of the British part in the battle, which Mr Balfour and other members of the Ministry asked him to write in order to counteract the German claims to victory published in the neutral press. Sir Ernest Cassel did not deal in German stocks in the war, but only in the British War Loan. Mr Churchill made several thousand as' a war correspondent and lecturer in South Africa, and as a biographer of his father, and placed the management of his investments in the hands of Sir E. Cassel, who was a friend of his father. Sir Ernest Cassel gave Mr Churchill the furniture of a room in 1905, and a._ wedding present of £SOO eight years before the Jutland Battle. Mr Balfour and Mr Churchill gave evidence bearing out the AttorneyGeneral's statement. IVIr Churchill Cross-examined. Mr Churchill, cross-examined, did not agree with the suggestion by counsel (Mr Hayes) that his explanation as to why 'he went to the Admiralty shortly after the Jutland battle was , untrue. Mr Hayes suggested that owing to Mr Churchill's blunders in the war there was a great loss of life; therefore publication of the aleged libel was in the public benefit.

Air Churchill agreed it would be most important that he should be punished if such foul charges were true. He went to Antwerp witli the authority of the late Lord Kitchener and Viscount Grey. The best naval authorities agreed that the Dardanelles could have been rushed. The slakes at the Dardanelles were a gamble, not of human lives, but of old battleships. The whole object was to save lives by avoiding the terrible frontul attacks hi France. He firmly believed he was right in trying to carry out the scheme. He admitted that he made £15,000 from his book, 'The World Crisis." Mrs Churchill and a number of. well dressed women were present in Court during the hearing. _