Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-11
LABOR PARTY VOTES
TOSEND DELEGATES
British Will Participate in Social
ist Peace Congress at Stock
holm Next Month.
MEETING IS VERY STORMY
Condition Stipulated That Gath
ering Shall Be Only Consul
tative, Not Binding.
MEETING IS VERY STORMY


lied labor. won its fight to-day for
participation in the Socialist peace con-
gress at Stockholm. to be held early
next month.
The victory consisted Of the adoption
by a majority OF $4,000 votes. of
resolution TO send delegates to the
Stockholm conference.
Only one condition was stipulated
tha, the international conference be
consultative. rot binding. British labor
holds, in contradiction to the view of
the Russian Socialists. that the discus
sion of peace terms and the actual
conclusion Of peace are the tasks of
governments. not Of parties.
The meeting of the British Labor
party which took place at West
minister. was the stormest held any
where in Great Britain since the out
break of the war. AT times the uproar
arising from the wide divergence Of
views or details threatened to break up
the meeting. Charges and counter
charges. calumnies and threats few
thick and fast. Two eminent labor
leaders engaged in observation-disclosures
Ramsay Macdonald and Will Thorne
The card vote Of the 500 delegates
was 1.O45.O0o TO SIS. 900.
ONE OF CHIEF SPEAKERS
IS ARTHUR HENDERSON
One of the chief speakers and prime
movers of British participation in the
Stockholm conference was Arthur Hen
dcrson, member Of the War Council
Only two weeks ago. when he first an
nounccd his change Of mind with re-
gard to the conference d country
vide controversy arose TO whether
II was proper for the British govern
ment to retain him as !. member. Since
then the tide I'm favor of the Stock
holm meeting has grown so powerful
that to-day's decision Was no great
surprise.
Yet this decision. with it's over
whelminG majority. constitutes an open
challenge TO the government which
with the exception of Henderson -hns
.hsAn' n':uasqnlSocally opposed to Rrlifslf
participation: Premier Lloyd George
has explicitly and public denounced the
aEitstors OF the plan stating that they
were more concerned about ending
than about winning the war"
With to-day's result at Westminster.
the working elements OF three great
helligerents = Russia, Germany and
England. in the order named-have
now subscribed to the Stockholm plan
French organized labor is no, yet
definitely agreed. The italian Socialists
we're to-day reported as having dccid-
ed against sending delegates.
MACDoNALD SOUNDS
THE RALLYISG CRY
Arthur Henderson and Ramsay Mae
donald did most toward swinging the
vast majority OF the delegates for the
Stockholm conference. Just before the
vote Macdonald sounded this rallying
cry
Bury the past. go to Stockholm, lay
your case before the conference, hear
that OF the other side. discuss matters
generally and return with the basis Of
peace in your pockets"
There was touch of irony about
Macdonald's part in the meeting. In
June he and Jowett were arrested to
prevent them from going to Petrograd
The government was apprehensive that
they would return to aGitate for Brit
ish representation at Stockholm. Hen
derson was permitted to go. He had
opposed the Stockholm conference up
to that time. But he came back and
proceeded to do precisely what had
British participation. At to-day's meet
ing Macdonald was his chief engineer
But if there prevails anywhere the
slightest notion that British labor to-
day went on record as favoring peace
at any price. il should he promptly dis
PEELED. The keynote of every spec, h
was unqualified opposition to Pruesian
militarism. Moreover. a confession Of
hS
mittee and published in London
paper to-day. lists all the grievances
against Germany. expressed time and
time again by British and other entente
| statesmen.
oVERcAME OPPOSITION
TO MEETING GERMANS
The main significance Of to-day's
decision. as viewed by political OBJ
servers. is that the bulk OF British
labor overcame It's originally strong
opposition to the idea of meeting Ger
man delegates at a common council
table.
Here are the three main reason for
the change Of front. as touched upon
in the leading speeches at the meet
| inEi
I. The fear of offending the Russian
Socialists.
.. The fear OF the outcome OF A
stockholm meeting between Russia MS
| and Germans alone
3. The fear of the effect on the Ger
man "cialsts Of British refusal
The mrin issue in connection with
the Stockholm meeting now is whether
the Russians will swing around to the
Henderson condition that 1t must he
consultative. not a binding. confer
ence.
IDEAS OF BRITISH LABOR