From Our Branches. (1905)

Party News from the September 1905 issue of the Socialist Standard

Romford Division.

Now that the East Ham Branch has commenced its useful career we can no longer claim the title of the Romford Division Branch, and this may be our last report under this heading. We who have been responsible for the hard slogging work in this Division have every reason to congratulate ourselves upon the results of our labours. Not only have the East Hammers been helped upon their feet, but considerable additions have been made to the membership of the parent branch. Since March, by dint of sheer hard work we have nearly trebled our membership, likewise our speakers, so that to-day this branch possesses five speakers capable of defending the Socialist position against all comers. We have lately extended our sphere of propaganda to Barking with every prospect of forming a local branch there before the outdoor season is finished, after which the market town of Romford will receive our attention. Sympathisers in district are invited to club premises any evening after 8 o’clock, when wre shall be glad to make their acquaintance, and to put them in the way of becoming members of the only militant organisation in the district.

H.C.P.

Islington.

The Islington Branch is well maintaining its stronghold in Finsbury Park, and we are steadily and surely convincing our audiences that we are the only party out for the entire abolition of the capitalist-class. Without in any way drawing the “long bow,” I can report that our Sunday meetings have been among the largest meetings held in the Park for some time past. The great interest shown by the audiences, and their inquiring attitude, foreshadow a large influx of class-conscious workers into our ranks in the near future. Within one month of the issuing of the Party Manifesto we sold 310 copies—we will soon have sold 500. The Party Organ is selling well. We sold 65 copies of No. 12 at our first Sunday meeting in August. We assure our comrades, especially the Paddington stalwarts, that they will have to look to their laurels as we intend to head the list in sales of Party literature.

Our comrades have successfully repelled the attacks of every other political faction who week by week congregate here. We have had a Mr. Wilson (Cobdenite) in opposition to Comrade Fitzgerald, while Comrade Lehane has knocked holes in Mr. Sansom’s (Tariff Reform League) facts and figures. Representatives of every party have an opportunity at these meetings of taking the platform against us and of showing where we fail to lay before the working-class a clear and logical position. Yet we still breathe !

At the corner of Highbury Fields, where we hold first-class meetings every Wednesday evening, there has just been erected a statue “In loving memory” of ninety-eight Islingtonians who died for their country in the last South African butchery. What of the memory of their widows and orphans ? Does the sight of this piece of cold statuary relieve their pangs of hunger ? Do their pinched and haggard faces light up with a “holy joy” when, instead of their bread-winner, they find a mass of comfortless bronze ? The little children cry for bread and are given a stone !

It is our mission to do what men may to usher in the glorious days of Socialism, in which oppression and butchery shall find no place, but a joyous existence for all shall be assured.

C. Thorp

Watford.

Fellow members of the Watford Working-Class,

We put it to you that the organization which, claiming to be democratic and to have a free platform, declines to answer questions relating to its political attitude and refuses to defend in public discussion the position it has taken up (although it is quite willing to discuss that position in private) is an organization that has something to conceal.

The S.D.F. is such an organization. What it has to conceal may be clearly seen by a reference to the Manifesto of The Socialist Party of Great Britain (price 1d.) obtainable at the Sunday evening meetings of the Party in the Market Place, or from the local secretary.

Can an organization be “democratic” and refuse to answer questions directly relative to its existence ?

And what is the value of its claim to the possession of a “free” platform if it closes that platform to discussion ?

What is the value of its claim that it educates the working-class when it refuses to use one of the best educational weapons it has—public debate ?

What is the value of its claim that it organizes the working-class upon the basis of its class interests in opposition to the capitalist class when time and again it gives its support to the capitalist interest ?

Can an organization support the capitalist interest and the labour interest when, on its own showing, those interests are absolutely opposed ?

Can any organisation, except it lack wisdom or honesty, hold that it is serving working-class interests by supporting avowed representatives of capitalism ?

An honest organization lacking only wisdom would readily champion its attitude in public discussion; but what of the organization which, having the evidences of its stupidity brought under its notice, refuses to discuss those evidences? Is it lacking wisdom or honesty ?

The local Branch of the S.D.F. was formed regardless of the existence of the local I.L.P., yet no member of the Watford S.D.F. can show a single point of material difference between the two bodies. What then is the value of the S.D.F. protestation in favour of what it calls “Socialist” unity?

These are a few of the questions we ask you to answer for yourselves and to insist upon the members of the local S.D.F. answering. They will doubtless endeavour to stave off your interrogations by irrelevant talk of “abuse,” “misrepresentation,” “vilification” and so forth. When we ask these questions they call it abuse ; when we ask you to note their replies they call it misrepresentation.

Do not, however, allow them to put you off the scent. Read the Manifesto of The Socialist Party of Great Britain and satisfy yourselves that we have sound ground for our impeachment of the S.D.F. as a working-class organization and then call upon them to justify their position or go.

The Watford Branch.