A Task For 1941 (1941)

From the February 1941 issue of the Socialist Standard

In the past year we have witnessed some of the mightiest events that the world has ever experienced. Half Europe conquered by the armed forces of German capitalism . . . concentrated mass aerial bombardments of European and Near Eastern cities . . . the naval blockade by Britain of Europe, and the counter blockade of Britain by the Axis submarines and warplanes. In the Western hemisphere, the U.S.A. launched a re-armament drive of colossal proportions designed to secure American interests from the menace of potential challengers from across the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the collapse of France, Japanese capitalism demanded and obtained bases in French Indo-China which are now being used to accelerate the subjugation of China, and which constitute a serious threat to British and American interests in the Southern Pacific.

In this tidal wave of strife and turmoil which is engulfing the whole world, the Socialist Party of Great Britain, and its companion parties abroad, have no illusions as to where the international working class stand in relation to these events. The vast majority of workers in belligerent, “non-belligerent,” and neutral countries, support in the main the policy of their respective rulers. But whatever the policy happens to be, it does not, and cannot, represent the real interests of the workers. Be it a policy of war, it means death, or mutilation, for many, hardship and suffering for all. If a policy of neutrality, the fetters of capitalism on the workers remain, and in these days neutrality means armed neutrality with the consequent sacrifices demanded of the workers to produce “armaments to safeguard Peace.”

The Home Front

Here in Britain political parties clamour for “total war,” not the least vociferous among them being the Labour Party. Yapping at its heels is the Communist Party, which is backing, and applauding, the vague reform programme of a “People’s Convention.” One of the Convention’s aims is to end the war which the Communist Party so ardently supported at the outbreak, and which it will doubtless support again if and when their spiritual brethren of the Kremlin decide to throw in their lot against the Nazis.

The I.L.P. Regrets

Another “peace effort,” launched by the I.L.P., met with an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Tories and their Labour allies in the House of Commons. This took the form of a naive amendment to the “King’s Speech,” and “humbly” regretted that the British Government (which is conducting the war for the very existence of British Imperialism) failed to call a conference at which the contending governments were to pledge themselves with all the resources at their disposal, to the creation of a “new social order” in which Imperialism, British or foreign, would have no place, and which would “provide a decent home and standard of life for each family in every country of the world.”

It would have been of some use to the working class, whose interests it professes to understand and serve, had the I.L.P. first learnt the precise nature of the present conflict, and passed on the knowledge to its supporters. Then it might have realised the utter futility of calling upon the ruling class (even as a propaganda gesture) to abandon its imperialism and disgorge its resources for the benefit of the working class. It is even conceivable that as a further consequence of understanding the nature of the conflict, the I.L.P. would have learnt that the only way in which a “new social order” (Socialism) can be brought about is when an international SOCIALIST working class undertakes the task itself.

The peculiar stress of war-time conditions reveal even more clearly the non-Socialist character of the I.L.P. and similar reformist parties.

The Record of the Socialist Party

This rough outline of the events of 1940 would be gloomy indeed, for the working class, if it was not relieved to some extent by the fine record of the Socialist Party and its companion parties abroad. Many of our readers will recall an article in the March (1940) issue of the “S.S.,” which recorded the extraordinarily successful mass meetings and the big literature sales which resulted from our activities during the first six months of the war. We have always claimed that the best way of influencing and encouraging the workers of other lands in the common struggle for Socialism is not by addressing pious resolutions to them (or even to our rulers) but by propagating Socialism in the land we live in. Striking confirmation of this was forthcoming in the editorial of a recent issue of the Western Socialist, which is the joint organ of the Socialist Party of Canada and the Workers’ Socialist Party of the U.S.A. In a glowing tribute to their comrades in Britain who are continuing the fight for Socialism despite the enormous difficulties confronting them, the American parties have resolved to intensify to the utmost their efforts to reach the common goal. News reaching us from Australia and New Zealand indicates the same resolve on the part of our comrades in those lands.

The ensuing months since March last have witnessed no diminution of our success. On May-Day, in Hyde Park, thousands of workers thronged our meetings, listening attentively to the Socialist message. Those meetings and the large number which followed in many parts of London and the provinces during the summer months, are at once an example and a challenge to workers everywhere. A significant feature of these meetings was the tangible evidence of the interest they aroused—collections to Party funds showed a large increase over the corresponding period of the previous year, and donations and literature sales reached new high levels.

The increased violence of the aerial bombardments has caused many difficulties for the Party. Most serious of these is the impossibility of holding indoor meetings during the evening hours of darkness. We can, however, look forward to the lighter evenings for a resumption. Meanwhile, our outdoor propaganda at week-ends and during the weekday luncheon hours continues with excellent results. Another temporary difficulty is the dispersal to many parts of the country of some of our members who have been obliged to follow their employment. We may be certain, however, that as a consequence of this forced migration, the Socialist Standard will be introduced to many new readers.

The Future

What of the future? Let you who read this resolve with the Socialist Party to make 1941 a. record year. There are many ways in which you can help to achieve this. Most important is to try and increase the circulation of the Socialist Standard and our pamphlets. Another way is to render as much financial aid as you can afford. Our efforts now are of tremendous importance: they might have a decisive effect on the rapidity of our progress at the end of the war.

Pull your weight for Socialism.

H. G. Holt