WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE 1917

140 WAR MEMOIRS OF DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
Russians, it was suggested that there might be an advantage
in sending a strong British delegation, even one headed by
Mr. Arthur Henderson. Alternatively, it might be worth
while to send Mr. Henderson to Petrograd on a special Mission,
similar to that being carried out for the French by
M. Albert Thomas. We were told that Mr. Ramsay Mac-
Donald and Mr. Jowett of the Independent Labour Party,
and Mr. Inkpin of the British Socialist Party, had now
applied for passports to Petrograd, and presumably had the
intention of stopping at Stockholm en route. This was a development
arising from the invitation extended by the Russian
Soviet to the Minority Socialist movements.
It was not at this stage clear whether the various conversations
proceeding at Stockholm were likely to be followed
by a formal conference. If so, it was agreed that while
there was a good case for having British representatives there
to watch proceedings and put the British case, it would be
very difficult for Mr. Henderson, as a member of the War
Cabinet, to attend. If Mr. MacDonald and his pacifist friends
were going, we felt that a strong delegation of the British
Labour Party ought to go as well.
We decided to cable Mr. Albert Thomas at Petrograd
that we thought it dangerous for Russian and German Socialists
to confer without any British representatives being
present, and ask for his views on the matter.
Two days afterwards, on May 23rd, we further considered
the question of our representation in Russia. Our Ambassador
there, Sir George Buchanan, had rendered very
fine service, but the very fact that he had established excellent
relations with the Imperial Government, and with the
Provisional Government which replaced it, made him an
object of suspicion and distrust to the new Administration
which had now been set up under Kerensky, with the support
of the Soviet. It was urged by the Foreign Office that he