Party Paragraphs
The activities of the Paddington Branch have resulted in the formation of a new branch of the Party at Kilburn (see Branch Directory) and another branch is being formed at North Kensington.
The Peckham Branch resumes its Sunday evening meetings in their hall at 41 Albert Rd., Queen’s Rd. on November 2nd, and will continue them throughout the Winter.
The Islington Branch is also arranging a series of indoor meetings.
Classes for the study of Economics and the developing of Speakers should also be organised to employ the spare Winter evenings and prepare propagandists for the fighting line. Although we have now more speakers on the Lecture List than ever in the history of the Party, we simply cannot yet supply the demand.
The Nottingham comrades are to be congratulated on a very successful season’s propaganda. The local branch is in a healthy and vigorous state, and is developing speakers so as to relieve the drain on London talent, and also to make possible missions to surrounding towns to spread the light. They recently had a splendid example of the cowardice of the enemy. The Socialist (!) Labour (!) Party was holding its annual conference in a room in the town and a few of our comrades approached with a view to entering to listen to and watch the proceedings. They were told, however, that the conference was private—that there was no admittance except to their own members.
This is another example of the undemocraticcharacter of that party, and may be added to the indictment already given in our Manifesto. Obviously they had something to hide.
As for us, we spurn secret society methods. Our Party, with every Branch, Delegate, Executive Council, Conference, or other meeting open to the public, can fearlessly challenge the closest scrutiny. We are democrats, and with our principles and policy preached and discussed in the open, leadership, bossism, intrigue and treachery are rendered impossible.
Our Nottingham comrades and in fact our members generally, will make full use of this “tactic” of the psuedo Socialists should they ever happen to meet an S.L.P.er.
Another champion of the confusionist army, namely, Mr. Hawker, of the I.L.P., met his Waterloo at Wealdstone last month, when he engaged in debate with our Comrade Wilkins, of Watford. Wilkins, at a minute’s notice, deputised for our appointed representative (who was prevented from keeping his engagement) and had no difficulty in demolishing the case put up by the I.L.P.er against Socialism. Some of the audience were under the impression that Mr. Hawker represented the Anti-Socialist Union, but that was not so. He was, at the time of the debate a member of the I.L.P.
The Watford comrades, encouraged by their success at Wealdstone, etc., have attacked Harrow. There, on Sunday evenings, the fight for Socialism is waged—waged, however, in this case against great opposition.
No sooner had our Party established its meeting place than the Anti-Suffragettes, the Anti-Socialist Union, and latterly the Carmen’s Trade Union, were rushed on the scene, completely blockading the thoroughfare with a dense mass of shouting humanity, and leaving the police no alternative but to close down the meetings or arrest the lot for causing obstruction.
Now these are dirty tactics and weak OPPOSITION TO SOCIALISM, but the increasing demand for our literature and the support given us generally by the workers of Harrow may yet enable us to win. Wait and see !—developments are pending. The victory won at Gravesend may be excelled at Harrow. At Gravesend in the beginning of the season all meetings were to be stopped. The Labour Party, the Anti-Socialist Union, the Liberals, the Tories, etc , agreed to forego the privilege of meetings at the Clock Tower—WE WOULD NOT. And now those other parties have returned on different evenings in the week to take advantage of our successful stand. At Harrow why cannot those other parties choose another spot or another night to lay their “views” before the people ?
In North London a Clarion Van was recently noticed with a Mr. Whitehead speaking from it. At Wood Green the speaker was advocating buying out the mines by putting sixpence a ton on the price of coal, taking the land on the hire purchase system, denouncing violence and preaching “no resistance,” deprecating strikes as selfish because, in his opinion, some workers could only gain at the expense of the others, and generally playing the goat. Of course, his audience were above that sort of piffle, and on the night of our regular meeting he could not keep a meeting together, so he had to give it up. He published a pitiful wail in the “Clarion,” and the next week followed, it up with a lying attack upon this Party. He said that at Tottenham he broke the law of the Clarion Van Committee and invited one of our members to oppose him on the van and our man declined. It is not true, and we have written the “Clarion” on the matter, but they are silent. If Mr. Whitehead is ready we are, at any time and place. Let him come out into the open instead of firing from the cover of the cowardly columns of the “Clarion,” that will not publish replies. Come out on to the public platform, Whitehead, or into the columns of the SOCIALIST STANDARD—where we are not afraid to give the enemy their chance—or for ever hold your stupid, lying tongue.
Comrades, if the days grow cold the fight grows warm, so you can keep your coats off.
O.
Actve propaganda—pushing the “S.S.”
.