SOCIALISTS' AIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 167, 15 July 1918, Page 5

SOCIALISTS ' AIMS.

VIEWS OF ENEMY LEADERS. A LEAGUE OF NATIONS TO DESTROY IMPERIALISM. . (Received 10.35 a.m.) .. LONDON, July 14. Mr. Arthur Henderson,- Labour leader, speaking at the Northampton Conference of Labour Organisations, said that five replies had been received from Socialists in enemy countries to the Inter-Allied Socialist Conference's . memorandum on war aims. The Bulgarian Socialists, accepted practically all the general points concerning Macedonia. The Hungarian Socialists and also the German minority Socialists had submitted to the Stockholm committee of the International Socialists' Conference a statement of policy much on the lines of the InterAllied memorandum. . The Austrian Socialists accepted the principles of the Inter-Allied memorandum as a basis for discussion. They endorsed the Federal system for (Austria-Hungary, agreed to the suggestion for a federation of Balkan States, and declared that they had always repudiated the Brest . Litovsk and Rumanian treaties. They agreed that a solution of the Italian, Polish, Colonial and Alsace-Lorraine questions must conform with the desires of the people concerned. ' ' , ' . ■' The German Majority Socialists- drew up a document which entrusted to Troelstra, the Dutch Socialist, to present to the British Labour Conference. The action of the British Government in refusing Troelstra permission to' land prevented this document reaching Britain, but a summary had been received showing that the German Majority Socialists were ready to take part in an International Socialist Convention on the basis of proposals. which the neutral Stockholm Socialists had drawn up. They also accepted practically all the general principles of the Allied memorandum, and were ready to discuss responsibility for the war, though they did not believe that any good would result from such a discussion. They were prepared to discuss the AlsaceLorraine problem, believing that an amicable solution was ■ possible. They agreed with the necessity for the complete restoration .of Belgium's independence, and declared a League of Nations necessary to destroy Imperialism and prevent aggression. ' : ■ ' Mr. Henderson contended that the replies justified the demand for facilities for holding an International Socialist Conference, which would-help; to clear away misunderstandings and ' misconceptions and strengthen the will for peace in enemy countries. The conference would show the people of the Central Empires that their rulers misled and -deceived them. It would not attempt to negotiate peace or to make binding decisions.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.) ...