Party Notes. (1907)

Party News from the June 1907 issue of the Socialist Standard

On May 12th R. H. Kent and F. E. Dawkins held another meeting in Nottingham. Dawkins also held a meeting on the 20th. Definite results are expected shortly.

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A four page circular, stating the working-class position and advertising THE SOCIALIST STANDARD has been issued. Twelve copies will be sent post free for 2d. Price to branches, 6s. Per 1,000.

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A second edition of the Manifesto of the S.P.G.B. is now ready. It deals with the Party’s position in regard to the S.D.F., I.L.P., Fabian Society, S.L.P., Trade Unions, etc. Post free 1½d. per copy from Head Office.

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The Rules of the Party, as amended at the last Annual Conference, are now ready. They are printed and folded for insertion in membership cards. They can be obtained from Branch Secretaries, or post free from Head Office, 2½d.

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Correspondence has passed between the Tottenham branch of the Party and the Tottenham I.L.P. respecting a challenge to debate. Full particulars later.

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If one had no previous experience of the hypocrisy of the Daily News, one would expect them to admit an error when pointed out to them. On May 10th they printed a report of an application made before the Lord Chief Justice by Mr. Gill, K.C., in connection with the action for alleged libel brought by Mr. Richard Bell, M.P. and the A.S.R.S. against this Party. The report was headed “A Socialist Party ‘Gone.'” The following letter was sent to the Daily News but was not published by the organ of the Nonconformist conscience.

Socialist Party of Great Britain.

Head Office:

22, Great James Street,

Bedford Row, W.C.

May 15th, 1907.

Sir,

Mr. Richard Bell, M.P. and The Socialist Party.

In your issue of Friday last, under the heading “Socialist Party ‘gone,'” you reported an application in re the above Libel action made before the Lord Chief Justice on Thursday, from which it would appear that this Party has “gone away and left no address.” This statement is incorrect. The defendants selected to represent this Party appeared last Friday before the Master in Chambers in connection with an application by the Plaintiffs’ Solicitors for directions and only failed to answer to their names on Thursday because it is a matter of indifference to this Party when the action is heard.

The reference to “the Solicitor for the defendants” in no way referred to us. Being the only Socialist Party in this country (there are various Reform parties posing as “Socialist”) we have no money and therefore, even if we desired to do so, cannot afford to fee legal luminaries. We are fighting our own case.

Yours etc.,

(Sd) R. H. KENT,

General Secretary, S.P.G.B.

To the Editor, “Daily News.”

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Cycling members who have not yet done so are requested to forward their names and addresses to the Head Office at once.

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The E.C. have accepted a Challenge from the Advocates of Industrial Unionism to debate in the columns of THE SOCIALIST STANDARD. The first instalment will probably appear in the July issue.

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All members of the Peckham branch are requested to at once send their present addresses to the Head Office, as an important communication will be sent to them as well as to all branch Secretaries in the course of a few days.

K.