It cannot be too clearly understood that in this very
important and delicate matter the Government cannot, without a repudiation of the first duties of a Government, stand aside and look on and accept or reject what fate may send them. While they are hoping for something to turn up they may find that they have become deeply and dangerously involved against their will. So far we have noticed a tendency to " wait and see " which we earnestly hope will disappear. The responsibility belongs to the Government, and to the Government alone. As a matter of fact, we believe on such evidence as we have that if they took the lino that no good whatever would be accomplished by recognizing the Stockholm Conference, they would be justified by the event. The French and Italian Governments and President Wilson and the chief American Labour leaders are against the Conference. If we also stood out, the Conference would probably resolve itself simply into the usual type of German-engineered propaganda that would do us no more harm than any other German device.
