Norwich bulletin., 1917-07-03
Views of the Vigilantes
THE PRo-GERMAN
 SOCIALIST CONFERENCE
By William English WaIIing of The
 Vigiiantes.

The famous Petrograd Council ot
 Workman's and Soldiers Deputies has
 decided finally and irrevocably that
 there is to be a so-ca.led International
 Socialists Conference at Stockholm in order to bring about an early peace
 The conference is to take place from June 18th to July 7th. Already Il seems certain that neither Great Brl- tain, France. Italy or America will be represented. as the SoTe-nments of all these nations lave denounced the con- ference as nothing more or less than a new peace move by the German For eign Ofice which has repeatedly shown that it is ready to use inno- cent dupes for it's purposes.
 We need not wait for this con Jsf- ence to know what it's action will be It is only necessary to refer back fo the positions Of the German Socially ts
 (majority and minority a ike) on the question of peace IS it has been fixed for more than two years. The Germans and Austrians reasserted their views for the bureau at Stockholm on May 50th. l. can all be summed up in one word: Europe is to return to the ter ritorial status quo which existed be- fore the war.
 There can't be the slightest ques- ton as to the future decision of any Stockholm conference. Already the various Socialist parties under direct or indirect German influence or con trol have sent delegations to Stock holm These delegations have offici- ally stated their position before the Socialists bureau established in that city-and are in substantial accord with the Germans and Austrians. Even where differences exist, such differ ences are usually on minor points. Where major differences occur there is absolutely no united sentiment, so that it is unthinkable that there will be any opposition whatsoever to the Germans.
 All the delegations have agreed that there must be an early if not an i'm mediate peace. The newspaper organ of the Council of Labor Deputies calls is left of the Socialist party in Amer ica is pledged to immediate peace. Ire gardless of the strategic situation" and also is pledged to a separate and immediate peace for the United States by the notori1Is St. Louis convention resolution. Sacharoff, the Bulgarian leader, was charm1ngiy frank in a St. Louis interview of June the Stll. in which he advocated immediate peace, adding, "If the war lasts long enough the tide will turn against Germany" Troelstra. of Holland, who made the original Arrangements for the confer ence. after a public consultat ton with Zimmerman. the Kaiaer's Minister of Foreign Affairs. is even more brutal1y frank His position is "A separate peace may possibly be the oniy peace that would beget a general peace"
 On the matter of territorial changes the position of the conference is unanimous. None of the par ties so far represented favors the re- turn of A1sace Lorraine to France. The Germans do not even mention the for they do not acknowledge that any such question exists. On this and all other points of foreign policies the German majority and min ority are united. Petrograd's Work mans Council takes a definite position against the restoration of A1sace-Lor- raine, in the phrase of this organ that, historic wrongs are not to be right ed" Most positive of all is the New York Ca1l.' which settles the Alsace- Lorraine and all other territorial prob lems by the simple p1nrase-"peace without any transfers of territory"
 When we come to Austria and Fur key almost as great unanfmity pre- vai1s, the only exception being Huys- mans, representing the Belgian minor lty. He very timidly demands the transfer to RouInania of such parts of as may be voluntarily ceded by Austria As to Trieste. Aus trian and Italian Socialists are to de- cide, Huysmans does not mention the fact that Italian Socialists, represent ng perhaps , per cent. of the Italian people, wish Trieste to remain in the hands of Austria Huysmans also made some tirnid demand as to Tur- t Is to be created by Germany and