Page:America in the Struggle for Czechoslovak Independence (1926).pdf/98



New York, May 28, 1917.—Charles Pergler, of Iowa, now Director General of the Slav Press Bureau and Vice-President of the Bohemian Alliance, declining to participate in the First Conference for Democracy and Terms of Peace, addressed today to the Conference the following letter:

“Your invitation to participate in your conference, sent me to my home in Iowa, reached me only the other day. I am sorry to say that I cannot participate in your gathering because of the nature of the tentative program of discussion, substantial approval of which seems to be required in order to entitle one to participation. Indeed, when you make the demand that those in attendance be in substantial accord with this tentative program, you make your conference merely a ratification meeting, and not at all representative of the various shades of democratic opinions and