SOCIALIST CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 120, 21 May 1917, Page 6

SOCIALIST CONFERENCE.

PEACE OPINIONS VENTILATED. RIGHTS OF OPPRESSED NATIONS. STOCKHOLM, May 20. The international conference of Socialists has commenced its sittings. M. Branting, a Scandinavian fc-ocialist, who presided, declared that it waa the duty of neutrals to work, not for peace at any price, but for a just and durable peace. founded on the principles of universal democracy. He added that the German Government refused to allow opposition Socialists to come to Stockholm. Perhaps it would be forced to permit them. If it remained obdurate that would be a great moral victory for Socialists, revealing Germany's uneasy conscience and her fears. Or. Troelstra, the Dutch Socialist leader, said Germany was hardly likely to follow Russia's example Each country was settling its difficulties in its own way. M. Akelrod, a Russian Socialist, said the propaganda by the Russian pacifist Lenin for sabotage and the repeal of the Army Act was folly, and the only possible consequences would be the crushing of the Russian revolution by German absolutism. Neither was a separate peace thinkable. That would bo treason to Belgium and to other small, oppressed nations. M. Huysmaus, the Belgian representative, demanded reparation and the independence of Belgium. M. Sachasoff, a Bulgarian delegate, emphasised the powcrlcssness of the Bulgarian 'workers against the bellicose spirit of the ruling classes. . (Received 10.30 am.) AMSTERDAM, May 20. The "Vorwaerts" states that representatives of both the German majority and minority Socialist parties have been granted passports to the Stockholm Congress.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) It was announced a week ago that the German trovernment had refused to irsue passports to Herr Haasc and other Independent Socialists to proceed to the Stockholm conference, but probably they have since then secured sufficient proof of the tractability of the Haase group. Mr. Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labour, has telegraphed to the Labour leader. Mr. Wanlle. asking him to impress upon European neutral Labour organisations that the present Socialist Conference at Stockholm does not represent the working classes of America, Britain, France, and Belgium, but was called by pro German agitators for the purpose of effecting a Kaiser-dictated pea.-c or for deceiving the Russian Socialists into betraying western democracies into consenting to a separate peace. The nai tionui executive of the British Labour party refused the invitation of Dutch International Socialists to attend the Stockholm Conference, owing to the present circumstances of the war, including Russia's reorganisation to achieve liberty Ishe will know how to defend herself against the enemy abroad I. and America's decision to throw her weight into the balance to secure a universal lasting peace on the basis of international life. The executive has decided to arrange an allied !.abour-Si>cia!ist conference in London in dune, 1918,