Editorial: Light, More Light ! (1920)

Editorial from the November 1920 issue of the Socialist Standard

Now that the winter season is upon us, with the usual contraction of outdoor activities and surrender to the lure of the "kitchen cobbles"—at 3s. 3d. per cwt. (observe how neatly we steer between the sentimental poetic and the stodgey prosaic)—we take the opportunity of directing our readers' attention to the very important matter of their education—Socialist education.

If it is anywhere true that 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing,' it surely must be in the movement for working-class emancipation. Here a mere glimpse of the truth, revealing the glory of the possibilities of the future society, may kindle hopes and stir emotions that might become a very valuable asset—to the labour misleader, and therefore to his capitalist paymasters. Socialist education is the only thing that can make the workers thoroughly acquainted with their economic and social interests and how to proceed to secure their earliest realisation, and is, therefore, the only thing that can keep them out of the hands of those ghouls the "labour leaders," and from being led off onto the roads of error, and even shepherded into the masters' camp.

Those upon whom devolve the task of producing this journal keep ever before them the vast importance of this matter of education in the deeper things of our propaganda, as also do our speakers and lecturers; but it is precisely these things that are least suitable for expounding in the meagre pages of a monthly journal, and even less suitable for exposition from the street-corner platform. For these highly scientific and technical subjects there is nothing to compare with the classic works, and no method within the general reach of men and women of the working class which can altogether take the place of home study.

We urge upon all readers, therefore, to make profitable use of the winter nights by securing Socialist works and studying them. In this course we unreservedly place our services at the disposal of our friends, and shall be happy to advise, or to explain difficult points.