New-York tribune., 1919-03-30

about nm oven hundred delegates at
the recent international Socialist Con-
greaa In Bernc. Such congresses before tho
war brought together nvo or six times ms
many delegates
Many argue from these figures that the
Berne conference was Of small Importance,
and in way that mny be true.
However, it must be remembered that diff
ncuitics of travel kept many delegates
away while political differences withheld
others.
Tho Russian Boshevist party was mob
represented because it did not consider
Bcrnc cred" enough. There IS certain
humor in this since the followers Of Leninc
in most other countries did not hesitate to
attend. The Swiss we're an exception, how
ever. They remained cut for two reasons.
Tho Swiss movement is pcrmeated with pro-
Bolshcvik and pro-Gcrman sentiments. SO
they didn't attend the conference.
The American Socialist party could not
get it's delegates to Bcrnc in time, and the
American Federation OF Labor knew too
we'll the character OF the gathering to be
mislcd into attending.
gates attending, the Berne conference, was
important. 1t was important because it
gave the world an estimate Of the extent to
which the remnant of the Socialist Inter
rationale has swung 10 the "lcft" and the
moral bankruptcy which has ovcrtakcn that
organization.
Since the Bcrnc conference adjourned
there has been q rush of defenders. claim
ing that the conference took Bolshevism
and threw it out of the windows with great
violence, and thus cleansed itself of the
charge of having been pro-Bolshevik.
1t is clear that most of the apoogists
who undertake the writing of such defcnces
do the job with their tongues in their
cheeks.
A resolution supporting Bolshevism was
defeated by heavy majority, it is true.
1t also is true that the leaders of the
Berne conference we're possessed Of consid-
erabe political ability, and it was not in
their programme to commit suicide.
They buried an open Endorsement and
then proceeded to send through rcsolu-
ton appointing committee to go to Rus
sia to "invcstigntc" Bolshevism. And prac-
tcnly every member of this committee
beginning with ]. Ramsay Macdonald, Ia an
avowcd friend Of I,oshevisml
The Bcinc conference laid itself open to
the fiat charge Of being pro.Gcrman. n
charge which was made before tho confer
cncc bcgnn is sessions by men who knew
what was certain to happen when certain
types Of delegations came together.
The conference first of all adopted de
mnnd for the return of all Germans held
prisoners by the Allied armies.
Second, 1t demanded league Of nations
made absolutely harmless and powerless.
Third. 1t postponed settlement of the
question Of Germanys moral guilt to
tme desired by the German delegates
after Tho peace treaty s slghetll Thus, so
faf AZ the organizations participating In the
Berhe conferences are concerned, there is no
basis for any kind of MI indemnity levy
against Germany. because Gefmany IL not
yet guilty ef anything repfehehsIbiel
And fourth, thu conferences gava the
Germana complete victory In regard to
the league of nations This was done
through thu soealed labor conference
whioh really was n subcommittee OF the
main conference. Jouhaux, OF France, intro
ducad n resolution carrying this provisions
"rhe armed expresson Of the league of
nations must lie placed Mt the dispositions
not Of nations, but Of the international