After agreeing with McDougall [1] and Loveday [2] to see Halifax
[3], I remembered that he was away in Paris attending the meeting
of the Supreme War Council, and I accordingly saw Butler.

I told him quite frankly of the conversation which Loveday had had
with Assheton [4] and Leggett [5], and it was quite apparent that
he had heard something of it. I put it flat to Butler that I was
left with the impression that the International Labour Office was
intriguing against the implementation of the resolutions of the
Bruce report [6], and as this was contrary to what I understood
was the attitude of the British Government I wanted to discuss the
position frankly with him. I also pointed out that if the
International Labour Office was successful in preventing the
reconstruction of the League on the economic and social side, it
would simply have the result that nothing could be done during the
war, owing to the fact that even if the International Labour
Office achieved its objective, this could only have results in a
practical sense after the war was over, as they could not take up
the work that had previously been done by the League if, and
until, their Charter was very greatly enlarged.

Butler assured me in categorical terms that it was the policy of
the British Government to facilitate the reconstruction of the
League in respect to its economic and social activities and
undertook to put a stop to any intrigues of a contrary direction.

He gave me the assurance that he would give definite instructions
to Assheton as to what attitude he was to take up and on this
basis we left the matter.

He asked me, however, to use my best endeavours to smooth the
position out with Loveday. This I undertook to do and after my
meeting with Butler I saw McDougall, told him what had taken place
and instructed him to try and smooth the matter out with Loveday.