Great Britain

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 37, 15 February 1915, Page 6

Great Britain

FINANCE AND THE NAVY. United Press Association. ' (Received 2.15 p.m.) London, February 14. Mr Lloyd George, in the House of Commons to-morrow, will give details of his negotiations with the Finance Minister, and Mr Churchill will reveal the naval situation. THE QUESTION OF FOODSTUFFS. (Received 9.25. a.m.) London, February 14. i Many Labour meetings protested against the Government’s attitude in v. regard to food. Mr Philip Snowden, speaking at Blackburn, said Australia and New Zealand provided useful examples of the collective principle, and New South Wales showed courage in commandeering wheat and fixing the prices of necessaries.

MORE OF CASEMENT’S MADNESS.

HIGHLY IMPROBABLE STORY.

* (Received 9.20 a.m.) London, February 14

Sir Roger Casement, C.M.G., an ex-British Consul, whose intrigue with Germany in the hope of alienating Ireland’s sympathy with Britain in the war, in a communication to the newspapers accuses Mr Findlayson Norwegian Minister, of considering a proposal to kidnap him, and he shows for that purpose a photograph copy of a letter in which Mr Findlay, in his own handwriting, on behalf of the British Government, promised Casement’s - man-servant, • one Chris* ten sen, a Norwegian, £SOOO in, the event of Casement’s capture. Casement says: “Christensen declares that Mr Findlayson urged him to luTe Casement to the coast, where a British ship could seize him, or, better still, to kill him and bring him his head. Christensen was in possess, ion of the key of the back door of the Legation in Christiania, enabling him to enter unobserved during the negotiations in October, when Casement was at Christiania. -

Casement asks for Norway’s protection in view of' his proceeding to Norway for the purpose of submitting proofs' of his statements.

The London Daily News and Leader .made the following: comment at the time of the lamentable incident:—The astonishing report circulated from Berlin with regard to the action of Sir Roger Casement will bo read in Ireland'with sorrow as well as strong indignation. There are not many men whose past careers have been regarded by .his fellow countrymen with more pride—and justly so. At the imminent risk of his own life he carried out first in the Congo and afterwards in Peru a work as hazardous, as laborious, and as fruitful in the relief of human .misery as any undertaken, in our time. The recognition which his labours received was no more than their due. But the very greatness of Jus achievement heightens the offence of, the crime which he has committed. It admits of no palliation. Incidentally it is a shameful blow at the Nationalists in the interests of a little group ‘of irreconciliables who are the bitterest foes of Mr Redmond. Sir Roger Casement’s conduct consists in open betrayal of a Government which trusted him, and of a country which' sjiowered honours upon him. If he disapproved of the war to which t|K*y were committed, there' were many* courses open to him which did not involve treachery. He has made his election with a quite incomprehensible perversity; and closed for ever by one foul blow an honourable career.