File No. 763.72119/646
[Enclosure—Telegram]
The Correspondent in
Stockholm to the Editor of the
Chicago “Tribune”
Stockholm
,
June 12, 1917
.
Socialist delegates here wholly cut from communication with American
Socialists, receiving no answers to cablegrams or letters nor any
answer to May 29 message in which Branting and
Huysmans cabled Wilson on behalf conference that hoped statement
Washington refused American delegates passports to Stockholm was
“only misunderstanding because conference was convened on principles
laid down in your Senate speech and definite refusal by American
Republic would not be understood in democratic countries.”
Lacking reply to this message and being unable receive word from
American Socialists, Stockholm delegates completely in dark
concerning possible bearings of conference on America. Comment
un-bitterly but wonderingly on this situation, saying:
We here neither to play politics nor inflame world, but by
interchange views to assuage cruel conditions afflicting
world and lowering civilization. We convinced piling on
unnecessary difficulties [Page 743] hurt world more than hurt Socialists.
We here to study, discuss and accumulate material for humane
ends. Only if these difficulties from outside are made will
conference be fruitless, otherwise timely.
To Tribune’s question concerning what European
delegates thought would be effect of American participation in
conference, reply: “Very useful because we believe American
Socialist would take truly international views, thereby helping
clear situation.”
Undoubtedly been efforts certain section foreign correspondents to
belittle conference by ridicule and distortion of aims; your
correspondent was addressed these words: “What you think of joining
campaign to present these fellows as here on party funds and having
good time?” Though suggestion made half in levity, it personally
insulting and treasonable to humanity. Truth is preliminary
conferences doing more hard work daily than done in Stockholm
legations weekly. Members far from living in luxury, stay modest
hotels. One representative important foreign news service remarked
half dozen times last fortnight à propos
tenor his dispatches on conference: “I think I have killed it.”
Meanwhile work goes on and conviction growing among many cautious
observers that in ultimate effect governmental anti-conference
policies will prove shortsighted and that governments may discover
they have forced peace by fighting peace.
Scheidemann and German
Majority delegation confers with Dutch-Scandinavian Committee Monday
morning. German Minority delegation arrives Stockholm Monday.
Dutch-Scandinavian Committee says whether two delegations meet
depends wholly on their individual wishes.
