were highly
detrimental to all pacifist tendencies.

In my opinion the air raids on England may be ranked in the same
category as these expressions. They were carried out with the greatest
heroism by the German fliers, but no other object was gained but to
irritate and anger England and rouse to the utmost resistance all who
otherwise had pacifist tendencies. I said this to Ludendorff when he
called on me at the Ballplatz in the summer of 1917, but it made not
the slightest impression on him.

The _demarche_ for peace made by the Pope and our reply have been
published in the European Press. We accepted the noble proposals made
by the Holy Father. I have therefore nothing to add on that matter.

In the early part of the summer of 1917 the Socialist Conference at
Stockholm had become a practical question. I issued passports to the
representatives of our Social Democrats, and had several difficulties
to overcome in connection therewith. My own standpoint is made clear
by the following letter to Tisza.

(_Not dated._)

DEAR FRIEND,--I hear that you do not approve of the delegation of
Socialists for Stockholm. To begin with, it is not a delegation.
The men came to me of their own accord and applied for permission
to travel, which I granted. Adler, Ellenbogen and Seitz were
there, Renner as well. The two first are capable men, and I value
them in spite of the differences that exist between us. The two
last are not well known to me. But all are genuinely desirous of
peace, and Adler in particular does not wish the downfall of the
Empire.

If they secure peace it will be a socialistic one, and the Emperor
will have to pay out of his own pocket; I am sure too, dear
friend, that if it is not possible to end the war, the Emperor
will have to pay still more; you may be sure of that.

Or, as may be expected, if they do not secure peace, then my
prediction was all the more correct, for then I shall have proved
to them that it is not the inefficiency of the Diplomatic Service
but the conditions surrounding it that must be blamed for the war
not coming to an end.

If I had refused to grant permission for them to travel, they
would have continued to the last declaring that, if they had been
allowed to proceed, they would have secured peace.

Everyone is indignant with me here, particularly in the
Herrenhaus. They even go so far that they imagine I had tried to
"buy" the Soc