PEACE TALK.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1917, Page 5

PEACE TALK.

ATTITUDE OF BELGIAN SOCIALISTS. WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Renter Received Aug. 28. 11.50 p.m. London, Aug. 28. The Press Bureau reports that the Germans for a considerable time have urged Belgian Socialists in Belgium to participate in the Stockholm Conference, but the latter pointed out it was impossible without a mandate- from then partv at a meeting whereat a free fix- • pression of views was allowed. Ultimately the Germans consented to tho meeting, 'which declined, with two dissentients, to attend the conference, eyen ; though British, French, and Italian delegates attend, BRITISH SOCIALISTS' CONFERENCE. PLAYING GERMANY'S GAME. Received Aug. 28, 11.10 p.m. London, Aug. 28, At the conference of the British Socialist party, an amendment was moved to the effect that the peoples of India, Egypt, Ireland and Algiers should bo free to decide their own course. The proposal relating to indemnities says that there should be a common responsibility for war, and therefore the proposal to throw the cost of reparation on one Power must be abandoned. Re- ■ paration must be from a common fund under international control, while there ■ must be recompense for loss and damage of property. Tho administrators must

also accord the working dasa an equal title to rgparatioo. t I The pacifist proposals r«garding the | colonies say that the conference hold* | that the peace of the wotld will not be preserved if one great power is debarred i from colonial rights. A curious episode in the memorandum prepared ioi the conference, welcoming America's intervention on the ground that it united the Old and Hew Worlds in defence of democracy. Independent Laborites propose to delete these references to United States. The delegates include M. Thomas (French Minister for Munitions); M. Re. naudel (editor of the Chumanite); Jean Longuet (Karl Marx's grandson); M. Vandervelde (the well-known Belgian). JI. Roussanofi' (the Russian revolutionary exile). The resolutions will he discussed privately, only the voting being issued. MISLEADING REPRESENTATION. AMAZING PACIFIST PROPOSALS. Eeceived Aug. 28, 7.25 p.m.' London, Aug. 28. The inter-Allied Labor Conference, which roeets at Westminster to-day and to-morrow, is arousing interest. It ia noteworthy that the British Socialist Party and Independent Labor Party will bo represented by delegations out of all proportion to their numbers and influence. The comparative 'weakness, of the Socialists Is well known in Britain, but Continental Socialists consider that Socialists are representative of Labor opinion in Britain, believing that the majority of Laborites are reactionaries controlled by the Government, hence the possibility that Preach, Belgian, Italian, and Ruesian delegates will be mystified and misled. Some of the pacifists proposals arn of an amazing character. Thus, four amendments propose that the future of Alsace-Lorraine shouM be referred to the deiesion of a referendum of the people | of the tn-o provinces, on the ground that neither Germany nor France haa a right to decide the question.