Letters to February 2004
Socialist Standard
Robert Tressell
Dear Editors,
I was interested in the article “Tressell and the Ragged Trousered”, in
the December issue. I have a copy of the 1914 version of Tressell’s
book, with a Preface by Jessie Pope, in which she writes:
“With grim humour and pitiless realism the working man has revealed
the lives of his mates, their opinions of their betters, their
political views, their attitude towards socialism . . .
“In reducing a large mass of manuscript to the limitations of book form
it has been my task to cut away superfluous matter and repetition only.
The rest practically remains as it came from the pen of Robert
Tressell, house-painter and sign-writer, who recorded the criticism of
the present scheme of things, until, weary of the struggle, he slipped
out of it.”
My copy of the book, which has his signature, Frank Newell, written on
it, was given to my father by Nellie Payne-Price, a secret supporter of
the British Communist Party who was, in fact, a capitalist and court
milliner in Sloane Street, Chelsea. Interestingly, she together with my
own mother, who was first an employee and later a partner, made hats
for the wife of Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, and members of the
British and German royal families. They would have been horrified had
they known, that their milliner had supported a Bolshevik coup, the
Communist Party - and had a copy of Tressell’s book!
Peter E Newell, Colchester, Essex.
State capitalism for Denmark
Dear Editors,
Internationale Socialister -
the Danish sister party of the SWP - say
they stand for socialism. Like their big sister, they are notoriously
coy about saying what Socialism means to them. Every now and then we
get a little glimpse.
The December 2003 issue of Socialistisk
Arbejderavis was a case in
point. It had an article about (Danish Multinational) A. P.
Møller's oil interestsin the North Sea. According to the paper,
the oil should belong to Danish workers. Thus, the fields and machinery
should be nationalised in order that: Denmark becomes self-sufficient;
to provide cheap energy for Danish workers; and that any excess oil be
sold.
The IS scribe calls this good economics and mentions capitalism puts
profit before needs, whereas nationalised oil would be used to provide
cheap energy in the interests of the majority.
This is, of course, a formula for State Capitalism. No wonder they keep
quiet about Socialism!"
Graham Taylor, Brabrand, Denmark.
Back to Socialist
Party home page