Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-12
SOCIALISTS FIGHT
EFFORTS Of BONN
To MAKE ADDRESS
Claim Is Made That American
Has No Mandate From Any
Party and That He Repre-
SentS Only Himself.
BY Beatrice Baskerville.
Copyright, 1919, by the Press Publish,
ing Co.

ing Co.
| CThe New York WORLDLY
! Especial Wireless Dispatch to World
| and Albuquerque JournalO
Berne, Feb. 1.-Two incidents
stood out at a recent session of the
| socialist conference here. The first
was the declaration of Herr Mueller. a
German majority socialist, that Ger
many is prepared to consider the en-
tire question of disarmament. The
second was the attitude of the French
and British delegations toward Frank
Bohn, an American socialist.
When Camille Huysmans. the Bel
gian delegate, announced that Bohn
would speak, J, McGurk, chairman of
the British labor party, and Green
all, another laborite, rose in protest.
They said Bohn had no mandate from
any party and represented no one but
himself.
Huysmans admitted that Bohn rep
resented only a minority which had
separated from American socialists
over the war question. He asserted
that he would let Bohn speak in pur-
suance of the precedent established AT
the Stockholm conference when the,
German minority socialists were ad-
mitted. This aroused protests from
the French and British delegates, who
emphatically declared they would
withdraw from the conference if Bohn
spoke.
Would Be Laughing stock
Backed by Jean Longuet, the French
minority socialist leader, McGurk said
the Berne conference would be the
laughing stock of the Paris peace con-
ference if Bohn, representing no one,
was allowed'o on the platform. Sharp
discussion between Huysmans on one!
side and the French and British on the
other followed. The British and
French complained at Huysmans' de-
lay in translating their protest for the
benefit of other members of the gath
er'ng. Finally, Huysmans agreed to
refer the question to a committee
which will examine Bohns supposed
mandate.
HE has no mandate and we know
it," McGurk said. I'VE were told all
along that America sent no delega-
ton here. AS it is, we are wasting
time and losing respect gecause there
is so much loose talk instead of busi- !
ness. This conference will have no
more effect on Paris or on British
labor than my cigar. | told Arthur
Henderson so last night.
Take our labor charter for in
stance. It's the most important fea-
ture of this conference, yet discussion
of it at the full meeting has been
shelved until the last day. The draft
is being printed now, but / wish you
could see it,"
Some Of 1t Is Good.
A look of intense disgut passed
over the leaders toil-worn face as he !
spoke these words. a.r. !
"Scme parts of it are good, but most
of it is quite against British labor
principles" the speaker went on.
when | objected in committee for
oigner told me it wouldn't come into |
force for twenty years. If that's so,
then it is no good to British labor,
and have wasted my time here
Arthur Henderson voiced this pes
simism on the platform today when
he called upon the smaller nation
aiities represented to begin to think
internationally and, not to impede the
work of the territorial commission
with extreme demands. His remarks
thus denied last nights official re-
port that territorial questions had
Laen settled for the time being.
Henderson frankly declared that
the conference is not doing every
thing possible to speak to the peace
conference or to bring its influence
to bear on it for practical purposes.
He said the British delegation is very
anxious to make the conference of
practical use, because Paris looks to
Berne and the gathering will be
wasted unless it sets to work with
The speaker urged the conference to
send to Paris a resolution demanding
the end of ornaments, secret diploma
cy, economic and military wars, and
a speedy, just peace without vindic-
tiveness or reprisals.
Many Speakers Heard.
1t remains to be seen If the con-
ing, but another morning was wasted
because Kurt Eisner, representing
bavaria; Justo from Argentina, Cohn
of the Palestine Zionists and KOS
sowski for the Jewish fund in Poland,
merely repeated well known phrases
which nobody listened to.
Jean .Longuet told me that the
French delegates had come to the
sad conclusion that most of the dele
cations present do not represent
labor. but are composed of theoretical
socialists who never did a days work
in their ives
The Zionists, Let's, Czecho-Slo-
yaks and other small dele cations do
not share this pessimism, and appear
quite content with the long winded
speeches translated into three tongues.
Their idea is that this is only pre-
conference gathering, and that the
real one will sit here in March. 1t
to be seen whether the larg-