File No. 763.72119/683
The Ambassador in France ( Sharp) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 23, 1.47 p.m.]
2320. Your 2471, July 20,1 received very late last night. By appointment discussed subject matter this afternoon with Cambon. He stated that he expected the matter would be definitely determined next Tuesday at a meeting at which Balfour, Lloyd George and Sonnino would be present and outside of the so-called Balkan conference to be held on the following day. He said that undoubtedly England, France and Italy would act in unison in reference to [Page 748] the question of permitting attendance of delegates to the Socialist Conference. I gather from what he said that only the fact that the Socialists were strong in both France and England would cause their demands to be given consideration. He said that if the Socialists from France attended the conference it was understood that they were willing to limit the range of their discussion and action to certain agreed subjects. I would say that his attitude, and I believe the same is true of other influential members of the Government, is strongly opposed to granting such permission. Cambon said that it was very difficult in the present state of affairs in Russia to decide what acts might be considered as official in the Provisional Government of that country. I understand that the one appointed by the Russian Government as Ambassador to France some weeks ago might not now be sent because of a change in the Russian Ministry. I inferred from what he said that if finally delegates from France should attend that conference it would not be under the form of an official sanction as such.
Mr. Cambon strongly expresses the opinion that German intrigue is emphatically involved promoting such a conference as it has been in other directions. He told me an interesting story of how a former resident, prominent in Berlin and well known to him while he resided there as Ambassador had recently confided in the Belgian Minister to the effect that Germany recognized that it would be impossible to win the war and that she had some time ago determined to foment discord wherever possible in all the other countries; that finally as a result of such interminable turmoil and unsettled conditions, Germany, remaining alone undisturbed thereby, would stand forth in a position of such prominence as to compel the powers to accord to her a strong position in securing favorable terms of peace. As soon as I get definite information as to the outcome of the conference above mentioned, as to permitting delegates to attend the Socialists’ meeting, I will telegraph you.
[For an account of a conversation between the British Prime Minister and the American Ambassador in France, in which the former suggested the advisability of allowing a delegation from the United States headed by Mr. Gompers to attend the Stockholm conference, see the Ambassador’s telegram No. 2334, July 26, ante, page 149.]