William E. Walling to Robert Lansing

Our European delegation neglected to mention to you the other day that Albert Thomas had stated to them that he was strongly desirous of visiting America and that we had therefore sent him an invitation to come as per the enclosed cablegram.

The attitude of Albert Thomas on the war is more nearly identical with that of President Wilson than the attitude of any other statesman. His visit would therefore work nothing but good in securing the closer co-operation of France and America both during the remainder of the war and at the peace conference.

Thomas would be obliged to represent his visit as being chiefly a visit to American Socialists -- since his constituents demand this. But we should invite the co-operation of the American Federation of Labor at every moment during his visit. There is no question that Thomas is persona grata to Gompers as they were in almost complete accord at the Entente Labor Conference from the 18th to the 20th of September.

The visit of Thomas is the best possible move for bringing to bear the sane ideas of American democracy on the French Socialist and Labor Movement which is developing with a daily growing rapidity in the direction of Bolshevism.

You may recall that our mission took a somewhat optimistic view of the situation -- on the surface. But if you have a copy of their report within reach you will see that they mention half a dozen contingencies, each one of them highly probable, in which a revolution was likely to break out in France and Italy.

The French Socialist Party is holding an important congress on October 6th, and Thomas' visit would undoubtedly be after that event. It might bring him here about the first of November. There is no question that this congress will take a pro-Bolshevik attitude as to the Russian question and will be even more radical in its demand for an International Socialist Conference. Last Spring the French Bolsheviki used the French defeats as a ground for demanding a conference. Now they are using the French victories still more effectively for the same end. The surrender of Bulgaria will only furnish them one more pretext!

Secretary
Social Democratic League of America.

Encl.

WEW-LMR