LABOUR'S WAR AIMS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16145, 25 February 1918, Page 8

LABOUR'S WAR AIMS.

INTER-ALLIED . CONFERENCE. A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING. (Br Cable.—Press Association.— Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, February 22._ M. Albert Thomas is president of the Socialist Conference, which includes representatives from France, Italy, lvoumania, South Africa, and the Southern Slavs. , , M. Thomas said that the conference must show itself able to reach an agreement regarding war aims, which t..e Allied Governments had failed to do. DISAGREEMENT ON TERRITORIAL ADJUSTMENTS. 'Received February 24th. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. The inter-Allied Socialist Conference agreed on the necessity for the suppression of secret diplomacy and the placing of foreign policy in the hands of a League ot Nations. . The Commission, which is considering territorial adjustments, has been unable to reach anything like unanimity. The Britisli trade union delegates entered a vigorous protest against some of tho proposed territorial adjustments. Tlrey ridiculed tho French-proposals regarding tho German colonies. M. Vanrlervelde, Belgian War Minister, who presided, declared: We cannot ignore tho fact that the Bolsheviks have discredited Russia as an internationalist Socialist, but wc must not forget what tho Russian revolution has done for internationalism and Socialism. Tl:o great lesson to be derived is that democracy would commit an irretrievable mistake by throwing away its arms before imperialism was defeated. MEMORANDUM OF WAR AIMS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received February 25th, 12.50 a.m.) LONDON, February 24. The inter-Allied Socialist Conference agreed, on a memorandum of war aims declaring that the peoples of Europe are tho chief sufferers through the war, though they -were not responsible for its outbreak. The invasion of Belgium and Franco threatens the very existence of independent nationalities, and strikes a blow at the faith of treaties, therefore a victorious German imperialism would mean the defeat and destruction of European democracy and liberty. The Socialists are not warring with the Austro-German peoples, but their Governments, who oppose them. While they are inflexibly resolved to fight until the task of liberation is achieved, the Socialists oppose a war of conquest. Tho conference appointed Mr Arthur Henderson, M. Albert Thomas, and M. Vandervelde, a Commission to endeavour to secure from tho Allied Governments an agreement that at least one representative of Labour and Socialism shall participate in the peace conference.