File No. 763.72/10237
The Minister in Sweden ( Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 4, 4.40 a.m.]
2218. Swedish press reports from Vienna, June 1. On May 30 and 31, German Social Democratic Labor Party in Austria held conference [Page 247] in Vienna. Resolution passed demanding immediate convocation of the Reichs council [Reichsrat]. Another resolution passed declaring Brest and Bucharest peace treaties run counter to principles of a peace of agreement without annexations and indemnities.1 [Hence] it is requested that before ratification peace treaties be submitted to Reichs council for examination and approval. Conference urged Governments of Central Powers to offer peace to Governments of enemy countries on following basis:
- (1)
- Establishment of a society of peoples comprising all countries which shall apply the principles of universal disarmament and settlement of all disputes between the peoples through arbitration.
- (2)
- Renouncement all annexations and indemnities in west, east, south, and southeast.
- (3)
- Full right of self-decision for all border peoples separated from Russia.
[From] Berlin, June 1. At meeting Social Democratic Party committee on Friday, Scheidemann emphasized war aims of Entente Socialists coincided to great extent with annexation aims their Governments. The responsibility for peace in the east which the Socialists would not approve fell on Socialists of the Entente countries and above all on the Bolsheviks. The committee adopted resolution pronouncing in favor of peace of agreement and condemning attitude of Prussian Government in the suffrage question.
- For texts of treaties, see, post, pp. 771–777, and Foreign Relations, 1918, Russia, vol. I, pp. 442 et seq. ↩