FISHER INTERVIEW

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1202, 10 August 1911, Page 5

FISHER INTERVIEW

WAS IT ACCURATE? MR. STEAD STICKS TO HIS GUNS. A PROOF SUBMITTED. Uy TeltKrapu-Prcss Associatton-OopyriiihS (Rec. August 10, 1.15 a.m.) London, August 9. Mr. W. T. Stead, editor of tho "Review of Reviews," has returned from his visit to tho Balkans. Mr. Stead nmrms the absolute accuracy of his interview with Mr. Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, and has exhibited a letler-book showing that printers' proofs' of the interview wero sent to Mr. Fisher on July 1. Mr. Fisher did not return the proofs and Mr. Stead says lie assumed that silence gavo consent. Ho added: . "When Mr. Fisher said, as I perfectly well remember ho did in so many words say, that, though he did not contcmplnlo any such event, Australia, might haul down the nog and' start 'on her own' rather than be involved in an unjust war, ho but uttered tUo obvious truth,"

Mr. Stood says ho cannot conceive anyone familiar with Mr. Fisher's views finding anything in tho interview either novel or original. Mr. Stead made no notes, as he never does when lie interviews. Ho says his recollection was perfectly clear of this brief conversation and he wroio tho interview out at once.

Mr. Stead several times reaffirmed that Mr. Fisher used the phrase about hauling down tho ilag if otherwise imriossiblo to avoid participation in a war -which Australia considered unjust. Mr. Stead, in conclusion, states that he was led to seek the interview because of Mr. Fisher's 6peech at the Imperial Conference in favour of wider international conferences. ■■ MR. FISHER'S DENIAL. On his arrival at Colombo on July 29 Mr. Fisher described the interview with him published in tho "Review of Reviews" as a grotesque misrepresentation. Ho at once cabled to Mr. Stead,- editor of the magazine, stating that the report was grossly misleading. Mr. Fisher declared that what ho said to Mr. Stead was a few brief words in a hurried interview. He merely stated what ho had stated hundreds of times in his public speeches, namely, that the objective of Labour was pcaca among tho nations in their world policy, and one of effective defence with tho aim of unity among the British nations.

Referring to' tho expression in the published interview of "Haul down tho flag," Mr. Fisher said:—"This has never entered my mind. To keen it flying is my ambition, with "all its' test traditions. Nor have I -harboured any idea that Australia would break away from the Empire. Nor do I wish to escape the duty'of defending its honour. Such expressions would not lie disloyalty, but insanity. They would be brutal and monstrous."