STATEMENT OF THE HUNGARIAN SOCIALIST DELEGATES [To the Dutch-Scandinavian Socialist-Committee.] 1. The Hungarian Social Democracy stands for an immediate peace, based upon the universal principles: No annexation, no war indemnities. It demands complete political restoration of all occupied states. The economic restoration of all ravaged territories is the task of those states in whose hands these ravaged territories remain, but with two exceptions: (a) Belgium, the complete restoration of which was agreed to by the German Government in the declaration of August, 1914. The Hungarian Delegation holds that the declarations of the German Chancellor in regard to the restoration of Belgium by Germany is still right in principle. But, if to secure this were to mean prolongation of the war, then the burden of restoring Belgium should be borne by all belligerent Powers according to their economic strength. (b) Since Serbia is too small and too weak for her own restoration, she should receive the collective help of all the belligerent Great Powers. The Delegation also demands for Serbia free assured access to the sea and a trade policy on the part of Austria-Hungary, such as to make good relations between the two countries possible. (c) In regard to Alsace-Lorraine the Delegation desires to see an agreement between the German and French Social-Democrats, and sees in this solution alone the guarantee of a lasting peace between peoples. The Serbian and Bulgarian SocialDemocrats should, according to their opinion, follow the same course with regard to Macedonia. (d) In principle the Delegation is in favor of all Polish territories being united as an independent state bound to all her neighboring states by friendly relations and freedom of trade; they demand, however, as minimum the independence of "Congress-Poland," in case this is the desire of the inhabitants, together with national freedom and assurance of the possibilities of development in those Polish territories remaining under another state. (e) The national questions of Austria-Hungary should not be solved by dismemberment of the empire, but through far-reaching democratic reforms, national autonomy, free cultural and economic development within the present state. (f) The principle "without annexation " implies also the return of occupied colonies. With regard to the colonies we stand for the principle of the "Open Door." 2. The Hungarian Social Democracy desires the future peace to be built upon the foundation of international law, of obligatory arbitration, disarmament by sea and by land. It recognizes the relation between disarmament on land and the restoration and assurance of freedom of the seas. It wishes, for safeguarding the freedom of the sea, a maritime police, subject to international principles, to oversee the internationalization of straits and channels and the chief international routes of commerce, such as the Dardanelles, Gibraltar and so on. It considers it the duty of all Social Democratic Parties already to express opposition to attempts to carry on an economic war after the conclusion of peace and for this reason desires an energetic fight against the resolution of the Paris Conference in June, 1916, and against the so-called “Mittel Europa" movement in the countries of the Central Powers. The Hungarian Delegation hopes that the peace discussions of the belligerent powers and the peace work of the International may not be exclusively dominated by national and territorial questions. As representatives of the working classes they want to direct the attention of the International to the fact that there is not only national, but also social oppression, and wish to have questions of labor protection and social politics included in the peace discussions. 3. The Delegation stands for unconditional participation in the [Stockholm] Conference; it is opposed to the discussion in the Conference of the question of responsibility, because it considers discussion of these questions at this time to be without object and not serviceable to peace. But if the meeting of a genuine and completely international Conference depends upon the taking up of these questions, the Hungarian Delegation does not consider this sufficient reason for not taking part in the Conference. The Delegation emphasizes, that according to its understanding, the people of all the belligerent states are peacefully-minded, that their Governments in all countries are responsible for the war, and that not accidental circumstances, but the constantly operating forces of national and social oppression and exploitation led to the war. Imperialism, high protective tariffs, national oppression, [oppression of nationalities] the lack of democracy, the want of real parliamentary control even in the countries governed on parliamentary principles, the domination of the financial oligarchy in France, Czardom in Russia, the feudal nationalistic oligarchy of Hungary, Junkers and large-scale industry in Prussia-Germany (Preussen Deutschland), the lack of a parliamentary system of government in the German Empire, are, in the opinion of the Delegation, some of the real causes of the war. The glorious Russian revolution has removed one of these causes of war and the Delegation expresses its belief that the International will do much happier work for peace if the various national sections, instead of fruitless debate on the question of blame, come forward each in its own country, against the organic war producing forces against the nationalism of France, against the domination of the Junkers and bureaucrats in Prussia-Germany and against the national and social servitude of the masses in Hungary. The Hungarian Delegation pledges itself to fight in this spirit for the complete democratization of Hungary and expresses the wish that the French comrades should now with their whole strength take up the fight against the chauvinistic ideology [idealization of patriotism], the German Social Democracy the fight for equal suffrage and a parliamentary system of government in the Empire. The Delegation expresses this wish, not as assuming to meddle with the internal affairs of other countries, or brother-parties, or associations, but because consideration of the condition of the world and the possibility of peace has convinced them that democracy is a requisite of international politics and the necessary condition of a speedy and lasting peace. [Translated from the Holland News, June 20, 1917.] STATEMENT OF THE BOHEMIAN PARTY [To the Dutch-Scandinavian Socialist Committee.] The Socialist Party of Bohemia concurs in general in the views expressed by the German-Austrian delegation; it stands for a peace without annexations, without warindemnities, without the humiliation of any people. It laments that the war has imposed heavy trials on various countries, and regards the restoration of their territories as not only an imperative duty according to every idea of morality and justice but also as necessary to the future of Europe. Belgium, Serbia and Roumania must arise again. Furthermore peace must give to every people opportunity for free development, national, economic and cultural. This right must not be curtailed, in particular as regards the Czech people. They demand the most complete autonomy and freedom and are moreover entitled to them. This policy will be best carried out through the democ ratization and remodelling of Austria according to the program as to nationalities drawn up by the Socialist Party. We will pursue the realization of this task in coöperation with other Socialist and proletarian organizations of our country. From the first day of the world conflagration we held that it was the duty of the International to do everything possible to put an end to the slaughter. The calling of the Stockholm Conference brought us nearer to this goal. We expect from it not only the revival of the International but also the simultaneous spreading of the universal thought of |