New-York tribune., 1918-06-24
Fifteen Deputies Approve
Position of American
Labor Federation
Will Back War to End
Support of Inter-Ailied Con.
ference in London Is
Now Assured

-N'AASA AShil <hllldICC LOI lAHDOC ana
Democracy, of which Samuel Gompers
.s president, yesterday made public a
statement from fifteen of the forty
socialist members of the French Cham
Der Oh deputies, approving the position
taken by the American Federation of
Labor in refusing to confer with repre-
sentatives Of labor from enemy coun-
tries during the war.
German Social Democrats" they
say, are less worthy than ever Of TAX
-ng part in ary general conference"
Inc announcement of this decision
Dy so considerable number of French
SOCIALIST Deputies is direct result of
'he recent visit to Europe of a dele
ga'ion OF labor men representing the
american Federation Of Labor, Of whicl,
lanes Wilson. president of the Pattern
Wright, secretary Of the American
Alliance for Labor and Democracy. sec
rctary. The announcement is in effect
All amplltlcation Of verbal statements
made during the conferences in Paris,
and IS made that American labor and
more particularly the pro-war Social
lists In America, may understand clearly
the actual position Of the French pro-
war Socialists on the question of an
acknowledgement conference
To Confer In Berne
Such conference is 10 be held in
Berne, Switzer rland, some time next
month or August-Berne having been
selected instead of Stockholm, because
OF the unsavory rumors arising from
previous conferences in that city-and
1T is now certain that any delegation
that may attend from France will at
best represent only part of the
Socialist party 1t also assures French
support to the conference of inter-
Allied and neutral Socialists, which will
open in London on June 28. John
Spargo, Charles Edward Russell. A. NJ.
Simons and Professor George =. Her.
ron are now en- route to London as
representatives at this conference of
American pro-war Socialists.
The statement of the French Social
lists, addressed to members of the
American labor delegation which re-
Gently returned, asserts that although
the visiting labor men doubtless noticed
"grave differences of opinion" among
workingmen's organizations, they may
rest assured of the general agreement
in the war aims of the United States.
What Caused Split
The question on which the party had
split, it was pointed out, was wheth er
efforts should be made in the midst of
war to revive the international. A con-
siderable French party opposed it. Then
came the invitation from Russia to
participate in the Stockholm confer
ence, making such a conference, in
which Germans were to take part,
,rt,1 1f
ance of the war.
N"To have refused it," says the state
ment, "would have been to risk the
loss Of the support Of the Russian rev.
olution, which was then so full Of hope.
In the interests of France we sacrificed
our feelings of repugnance and hatred"
Explaining that when the Russian
revolution abandoned France the
French felt they had the right to with
draw from the Stockholm conference,
the statement continues:
GAS to the German Social Democrats
they appear to us less than ever
worthy of taking part in a general con-
ference. Not only did they not reply
to the. preliminary questions put
forward by us, but they allowed a
mitted at Brest-Litovsk. Even if they
did not actually support it, they had
approved of the violation of Belgian
neutrality. They allowed Russian
democracy to be crushed. Large num-
bers of us are of the opinion that any
conversation with men so hostile to
the most elementary ideas of liberty
and right is impossible for Socialists.
"And we are not alone in that
opinion. Quite recently our friend,
Branting, one of the best minds in the