Our Sixth Anniversary. (1910)

Editorial from the July 1910 issue of the Socialist Standard

On the 12th of June last the Socialist Party of Great Britain concluded the sixth year of its existence. And our sixth anniversary finds the Party as firmly based on its principles, as unassailable in the position it took up at its inception, as it was in the days when it was so freely predicted that that position would be found untenable after a few months.

As far as this proves anything at all it proves that those principles were and are fundamentally correct; that they are therefore as sound to-day as they were yesterday, and will be as sound to-morrow, and until the conditions to which they appertain themselves have passed away.

Such a position, of course, is unassailable. The fact that it has never been seriously attacked by the leaders of the so-called Socialist parties is in itself clear proof of conscious treachery of those individuals. They know how unshakeable is our position, and the polity of ignoring us is the only one they dare venture upon.

As to the success of our efforts, we have no cause for pessimism. To say that we are quite satisfied would, of course, be to say that we are not enthusiasts—for enthusiasts are always a little bit impatient. However, we knew before we started that we had a hard row to hoe, that Socialists—men and women who thoroughly understand the working-class position, are not inspired by a few passionate utterances, or an appeal to their emotions, but are made by steady and persistent education. Bearing this in mind we look back upon our past work with the feeling that it has accomplished all we had looked for. We have more than quadrupled our numerical strength in these six years, but this is no gauge of the extent of our work. To get some idea of that one must consider what effect our labours have had upon the working-clam mind at large. This is partly shown by the audiences at our street corner meetings, and debates and other meetings held within doors; it is further shown by the considerable and increasing amount of correspondence from all parts of the Kingdom, which is received at headquarters.

Stick to it, boys —the Cause advances!