Party News Briefs (1949)

Party News from the July 1949 issue of the Socialist Standard

Debate with Conservative at Southend. Southend Branch reports a very successful public debate held in the British Legion Hall at Rayleigh, near Southend, on May 19th. The Conservative Party was represented by Mr. Bernard Braine, its prospective candidate for S.E. Essex, and our representative was Comrade D’Arcy. The hall, which held about 200, could not accommodate all who desired to attend. Restrictions on the sale of literature caused the Southend members some disappointment, particularly as a large proportion of the audience was apparently Tory.

The subject of the debate, chosen by the Conservatives, was Capitalism or Socialism, but if Mr. Braine had anything to do with the choice, he did not appear to have selected wisely. He maintained that he was as concerned as the S.P.G.B. with present-day social problems. Instead of defending Capitalism, he used much of his time asserting that “Socialists in general" could not agree as to what Socialism was and that they used time and energy arguing amongst themselves. None of them, not even the S.P.G.B., could explain how it would work. Capitalism, he claimed, had been a great success in that it had been the means of a constantly rising standard of living. The social problems of today are not the peculiar product of Capitalism, but existed long before Capitalism. Society, he declared, was not class divided.

The Southend Standard reported Mr. Braine as saying:

“There is no such thing as the working class, as distinct from the rest of the population. All this talk about the working class is designed to appeal to an inferiority complex. The work shy and the inefficient—he is the man who will come out on top in the Socialist system of dis-incentives.”

J. D'Arcy warned Mr. Braine that it was the case of the S.P.G.B that he should deal with. The record of the S.P.G.B. in its hostility to the so-called Socialist parties, like the Labour Party, was sounder than that of the Conservatives. Com. D'Arcy drove home a telling attack against Capitalism which apparently confused Mr. Braine, because in his reply he admitted that he found himself in difficulty. He extricated himself from his difficulty by covering his obvious inability to defend Capitalism with confused references to “all Socialists" and the failures of “Socialist governments” as he insisted on calling them.

The debate achieved a good measure of publicity, including a good write-up in the local press. Southend branch is making every effort to arrange further debates. Outdoor meetings are held on Southend Sea-Front on Sunday evenings from 6.30 p.m.

Hackney Branch Dance and Social at Shacklewell Lane Schools on May 14th was a great success. Everyone present appeared to be having a really good time and we learn from branch members that the proceeds made a welcome addition to branch funds. We must certainly commend Hackney Branch members for the manner in which the affair was organised.

The Publicity Committee reports that there are still a few copies of “Collected Socialist Pamphlets” available for Public Libraries. On occasions in 1946 and in 1949 the committee has tried to get a quarter- page advert for our pamphlet, “Nationalisation or Socialism'' inserted in the Railway Service Journal (Railway Clerks’ Association Journal). It was anticipated that Nationalisation would be of immediate interest to railway workers. On each occasion a copy of the pamphlet was sent for perusal, but the reply was, that no advertising space was available. The committee offered to wait several months if necessary. Later a request was made for the insertion of an advert for our pamphlet “Russia since 1917" of a size down to two inches. A copy of the pamphlet was sent. The editor then says that he cannot accept our advertisement. That makes us doubt the “no space" excuse.

Belfast Meetings. The first public meeting held by the newly-formed Socialist Party of Ireland was on the day of the founding of the Party, May 29th. The meeting was a success beyond all expectations. Four speakers mounted the platform in High Street, Belfast, two from Dublin and two from the local branch. One Belfast comrade tells us that, “ I have spoken at many meetings here and elsewhere, but I was never so pleased; we had not a single hitch—even the amplifier (we had to use a loud speaker) was perfect. At its peak we had 250 people present until a long shower drove many away as the last speaker was finishing.” The meeting was re-commenced later and another audience of about 300 gathered to listen to questions and answers. Literature sales and the collection taken up were satisfactory. The meeting lasted from 3.30 p.m. to 6.40 p.m. A statement dealing with the forming of the party, its opposition to ail other parties and the Irish “border question” was duplicated and given away. These “went like wildfire.”

The Dublin members recently attended a meeting addressed by a Franciscan preacher on “Communism and how it affects the workers.” He was addressing a meeting of the Irish Bakers, Confectioners and Allied Trades Union. A comrade writes:

“Talk about taking crutches from a legless man if you had seen that guy left without Russia to lean on, it would have done your heart good.”

From a report in the Irish Independent (1/6/49) we conclude that our Dublin comrades embarrassed the reverend lecturer by exploding a lot of his notions and showing that communism and the antics of Communist Parties have nothing in common.

The Socialist Comment and Review, organ of our companion party in Australia, which temporarily suspended publication, is now being re-published. There are quantities available at Head Office which can be supplied in bundles of six different issues for sixpence, plus postage.