S. D. P. and taxation
H. M. Hyndman (S. D. P.) in Justice, 7.8.09, says that “If Mr. Lloyd George were to bring about a reduction of Rates and Taxes by the Confiscation of rent for that purpose it would only benefit the Capitalist Class”, thus affirming that rates and taxes are no concern of the working class.
E. Belfort Bax and H. Quelch (S. D. F.) in their Catechism of Socialism say “that the Working Class do not pay taxes, but that they are paid out of the surplus value robbed by the Capitalist Class from the Working Class.”
Miss Kough (S. D. F.) speaking for the Watford Socialist Society on August 8th last, in advocating Adult Suffrage said that it was “only right that working class women who have to pay their share of the taxes should have a vote and a voice in the spending of those taxes.”
When asked to reconcile her statement with that of Hyndman in Justice, the organ of the party she was a member of, Miss Kough said she “was not going to be answerable for wild statements which appear in papers.” This is cruel! Poor Hyndman!
When the position of Bax and Quelch was pointed out to the lady she replied that she did “not care what they said, anybody with common sense knows the workers do pay taxes.” That is why the audience applauded the statement: it was common sense, which is so often uncommon nonsense.
But to accuse Bax and Quelch of having no sense in these matters – well, it must be spite against Bax for his attitude on the woman question. But what about Quelch? – well, let them fight it out. Where are we now? Do the workers pay taxes? According to the S. D. P. we don’t know. The S. P. G. B. have repeatedly pointed out in their organ that they do not and nothing has or can be brought forward to show they do – so the working class do not pay rates or taxes.
(October 1909)