The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-24
Government Issues Warning
to American Socialists
Headed for COnfab.
GERMAN INTRIGUE is
BELIEVED AT BOTTOM
u. S. Withh0lds Passports
and Will Punish With
Fine and Imprisonment.
By Associated Press.

Washington, May 23-Emrhatic DIS
approval of the peace propaganda of
of European Socialists was expressed
today by the American government,
which denied passports to American
delegates to the Stockholm conference
and issued a warning that any Ameri-
can taking part in the negotiations
would be legally liable to heavy pun
ishment.
No formal announcement of purpose
was issued. but officials explained that
the governments course would have
the two-fold effect OF discrediting gen
orally any peace moves by unathor-
lied persons and of condemning in par
ticular tho present Socialist agitation
regarded since its inception as inspired
by Germany.
Old Act Is Cited.
In making known the decision not
| to give passports to the American
| Socialists designated to take part IN
! the stockholm conference. Secretary
| Lansing cited the Logan act of l79g
as defining the punishment which
might be expected by any American
| now in Stockholm. or who might 60
there without Il passport aN partici~
pate in the peace discussions.
! Under this law unauthorized per
sons, who directly or indirectly treat
with foreign agents regarding contro-
| versies Of the United States, may b'
imprisoned for three years and fined
5000.
The American delegates to the con
ference, authorized to represent tht
| American Socialist party over the pro
test of some of its foremost members
are Victor l.. Berger of Milwaukee an'
Morris Hillquit and Algcrnon Lee o
; New York. They were selected by tn
party's executive committee after
notable group of Socialists, headed b,
Charles Edward Russell and william
, | English Walling. had condemned tn
movement in a joint statement, as "th
most dangerous of all the kaiser
plots"
The same statement denounced Hill
quit and Lee. who are Socialist writers
as radically pro- German. Berger.
native of Austria Hungary. has bee
editor of several German langnag
newspapers in Milwaukee and in l9l
was elected as the first Socialist to s.
in congress.
IDEA OF herman Ort0tn.
American diplomatic agents abron
have kept close watch on the Sc
calist movement and their reports al
understood to show clearly that I,
? plan for n conference at Stockton
had its origin In Germany and has m
with the active announcement of II
German government Passports alreat
have been granted to German delegate
q who will keep at the front OF the n
gotiations the slogan of mo annex;
tons" interpreted here as IA cardin
feature of Gcrmany's program for
truce to further consolidate II gre
central European empire.
Russian Socialists have selected dc
egatcs to the meeting AS "A result, II
n believed here, of German influence.
II was In Russia that the proposal of :"
~, anne nations first came into prom
/. nencc and it promptly was taken
lby the German Socialists who ha
=, urged upon the government an II
=, mediate declaration rcnouncing co
-, auered territory in the east and we
" Such proposals are regarded here
~ only a blind to end the war, VIII
- Germany's expansion to the south
secure.