New-York tribune., 1919-01-09
Henderson, Vandervelde and
Thomas Acting For Old
Socialist Organization
Bolshevism To Be Fought
Separate Meeting of Trade
Unionists at Lausanne
Certain To Be Called
By Chester M. Wright
Nca0 York Tribune
E,II1nn9Ua f(1f,<<,,,

out to-day for the first time in ad-
vices just received here from Stock
holm that Camille Huysmans, secretary
of the international Socialist Bureau,
is to be general secretary OF the So
cialist labor conference being sum-
moned by Arthur Henderson, NJ. Van
dervelde and NJ. Thomas.
This seems to make clear what many
have long suspected. This congress,
which, on the surface, is a meeting of
world labor, will be nothing less than
meeting of the old Socialist Inter
rationale.
This view is supported by the report
that the credentials of the Socialist
delegates to the congress are, to be
passed upon by the International So
clallst Bureau, which, in reality. is the
executive of the Socialist internatioa-
ale. This is the world Socialist or
ganlzation, which broke down at the
outbreak of the war and which later
staged big meeting in Stockholm.
Count Czernin, former Austro- Hun
garan Foreign Minister, now says
he was one of the wire pullers back of
the Stockholm conference, concerning
which he expresses as his only regret
that "it led to no result" This failure
being due, of course, to Allied vigilance,
IT is highly probable that Samuel
Gompers, president Of the American
Federation of Labor, and his colleagues
suspected some such project as this
back Of the whole plan.
Bolshevism Is Opposed
Among those on this side who knew
what was going on it caused no sur
prise when it was learned that Mr.
Gompers declined to attend anything
except purely trade union congress.
1t must not, however, be taken for
granted that the international Socialist
Bureau will furnish free and easy plot
ting ground for Bolshevik propagan-
dists, for it will not
Emil Vandervelde, the chairman, has
been one of the stanchest of the Euro
pean loyal Socialists. He has been a
member of the Belgian Cabinet since
the outbreak of the war Hjalmar
Branting, of Stockholm, perhaps the
most powerful figure in European So
cialism, will oppose Bolshevism
throughout.
Colonel William Thorne, one of the
British delegates, was noted for his
loyal support of the war under all cir
cumstances. Even Huysmans, though
sympathetic with the extremists dur
ing the war, will desert them on all is
sues involving Bolshevsm.
Two Socialist organizations probably
will be barred from participating
League and the Italian Socialist Union.
Separate Congress Likely
But the Henderson-B Branting Wander
velde-Thomas congress at Lau-
same, SO far as I can see, resolves it.
self into meeting Of the old Inter
rationale just as surely as though it
had been called by the International So
cialist Bureau itself
Although Mr.. Henderson has sched-
uled the congress to open January II,
he and the other British DELEGATES
have not yet left London.
The present plan at the Labor Party
headquarters here is to organize the
congress into one main body, with
two subordinate sections of trade
unionists and non Socialists sitting sep
arately to discuss questions Of indi-
vidual interest, but holding combined
meetings on general questions. Never
theless, the political wing will domi-
nate the others on all important uucs-
tions.
The great point of interest is who
will represent Russia at the congress.
Invitations have been sent to the Social
Revolutionary Party and the Social
Democratic Party, but it is uncertain
whether the Bolsheviki will be asked to
attend. They were invited to the Inter
Allied Socialist congress last February,
hut refused to attend because the con
ference was not international.
Camille Huysmans has made the sur
prisng statement that although the
Belgian Socialist Party has authorized
its delegates to attend the meeting of
! The International Socialist Bureau to
yet authorized their meeting with Ger
man delegates.
This confirms the view expressed in
previous dispatches that the whole af-
fair is one large gamble in which many
persons are trying to shape things
their own way and the outcome of
which nobody knows.
1t is not likely that the Bolsheviki
will attend the forthcoming Interna-
tional Socialist Congress for the same
reason that they refused to attend the
Stockholm conference. Lenine has been
! at odds with all the leaders of the So
cialist Internationale and has virtually
: declared war not only upon the Inter
national Socialist Bureau, but the ma
/ jority of the Zimmewald organizations
as we'll, because here, too, he is the
head Of an extremist minority. Lenine
desired to establish an Internationale
of his own.