PACIFICIST MISCHIEF-MAKERS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
Sia,—The notorious enemy agent, Frau Rosika Schwimmer, who has tried to use the woman's movement and the Pacificist move- ment in neutral countries for the benefit of Germany, described in the Amsterdam Algemeen Handelsblad of October 29th her intrigues in America in 1915 and her interview with the President on November 26th of that year. She was, she said, accompanied to the White House by Mrs. Snowden, the wife of Mr. Philip Snowden, M.P. for Blackburn. I shall not trouble you with Frau Schwimmer's arguments, which failed to move the President. I merely wish to call attention to her statement that Mr. Wilson was much moved by a letter from Mr. Snowden, which Mrs. Snowden read to him, describing "the anger expressed in English Parliamentary circles at the new American naval programme," "Surely," said the President, " people do not credit me with war- like or selfish aims! " Of course, there is no truth in the sugges- tion that in 1915 or at any other time British politicians were jealous or fearful of the American Fleet. But it is strange to hear of a British Member of Parliament making this suggestion, indirectly through his wife, for the purpose of stirring up illwill
in America and setting the President against us. We had enemies enough in November, 1915, to tax all our efforts, but to the Pacificist Member and his wife—if Frau, Schwimmer's state- ment is true—it seemed desirable also to make an enemy of President Wilson, in order, I suppose, to shorten the war. Many people fondly imagine that the Pacificist agitation has been con- fined to protests of a negative and futile character. Frau Schwimmer asserts that some of our Pacificists worked hand in hand with enemy agents and did their utmost, like the enemy, to cause bad blood between Great Britain and America at the most critical period of the war. However, the word of a German is not to be trusted without independent confirmation. Mr. Snowden may be able to contradict Frau Schwimmer's very serious charge against him.—I am, Sir, Sc., A PLAIN MAN.
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