At Stockholm

A week passed, during which all the dinner-giving organizations of Stockholm vied with each other, in setting succulent dishes before the 625 delegates to the Universal Conference on Life and Work (TIME, Aug. 24, 31). Then the American Near East Relief Association played host. For shelter it provided the best hotel in town. For fare, it served rice, prunes, boiled rice.

Fred B. Smith of Manhattan, explained to the guests--(.bishops, priests, laymen of nearly every country, and of every Christian faith except the Roman Catholic) -- that with just such a meal, the U. S. would celebrate Golden Rule Sunday on Dec. 6. By as much as rice and prunes would reduce the U. S. family budget on that day, by so much would Armenia, Syria, Palestine, Greece profit.

The Patriarch of Alexandria, the Metropolitan of Sofia (Bulgaria) bowed their gray heads in reverent appreciation.

The international Golden Rule hymn was sung by all, led by Swedish Boy Scouts.

The sessions of the conference proceeded with lofty and generous discussion of the work of the church in the world. A notable exception to unanimity was an objection to a resolution which declared war to be unChristian. The objection came from the Germans, was voiced by Lutheran Bishop Klingemann:

"My countrymen in the Rhineland, Catholic and Protestant, would not understand if our craving for deliverance from the state of oppression passed over in silence. We live under heavy burdens. Remember, we disarmed to live in an armed world. We wait for the promised general disarmament to be able to believe in peace. In the present condition of the League of Nations we can't find any religious character or any communion with the Kingdom of God."

King Gustav, after opening the conference (TIME, Aug. 31) paid a brief visit to Finland. Returned, he, the Crown Prince who is most religious, and the Crown Princess continued to attend the sessions.