Party News Briefs (1957)

Party News from the October 1957 issue of the Socialist Standard

Bradford Branch report a most successful outdoor meeting last month by Comrade Baldwin, at which two dozen S.S. were sold and some pamphlets. They express the hope of a repeat visit by Comrade Baldwin.

Comrade Gilmac in America. Comrade Gilmac has sent his first brief report from America, where he attended the Annual Conference of the W.S.P. in Boston. He reports that our comrades out there have been experiencing rather a thin time, but that this year’s Conference is the best they have had. The members are full of enthusiasm, and their hospitality to him has been overwhelming.

The Socialist Party of Ireland. Socialists in large cities such as London, Glasgow, Sydney or Boston—where there are often quite a number of Socialists—know how difficult it is to get workers to listen to, and accept, the Socialist case. But for Socialists where there are only small groups or even single individuals, it is much more difficult—particularly in countries like Austria or Ireland, where the Catholic Church is very powerful.

Our comrades in Dublin and Belfast have an extremely difficult task, but putting the Socialist case in Co. Kerry is almost impossible.

During August two members of Fulham Branch, Comrades Newell and Garnham, visited Ireland, and whilst there visited our only comrade in Co. Kerry, Comrade Tim O’Sullivan, of Coolcorcoron, a tiny village about two miles out of Killarney. Comrade O’Sullivan told our comrades that the only politically conscious people in the whole of Co. Kerry are the Sinn Feiners; and they are fanatical nationalists, living mainly in the past! But still our S.P.I. comrades, such as O’Sullivan and others in Ireland, are able to get something across. Besides their tongues they are armed with The Manifesto of the Socialist Party of Ireland, and copies of a free leaflet, Introducing the Socialist Party of Ireland.

The “Daily Herald” and the S.P.G.B. In reply to a letter previously published from a Labour Party reader, who enquired why it was that the Labour Party did not call itself the Socialist Party, the Daily Herald printed the following letter from a reader in Margate:

“It would be confusing and dangerous to re-name the Labour Party the Socialist Party, as this is the usual way in which people refer to a body already in existence —the Socialist Party of Great Britain.”

To which the Daily Herald thought it fit to add the following explanatory comment:

The S.P.G.B., which broke away from the Social Democratic Federation in 1904, has a membership of 1,100. It is sometimes called the Small Party of Good Boys. It stands for “uncompromising opposition to all forms of capitalism, including that in the Soviet Union.”

Phyllis Howard

Blogger's Note:

There is fuller report of 'Comrade Gilmac's' visit to North America in the November 1957 issue of the Socialist Standard.

The Manifesto of the Socialist Party of Ireland is available at the following link.

Party News Briefs (1956)

Party News from the April 1956 issue of the Socialist Standard

May Day. In order that members are well acquainted with the arrangements made for Sunday, May 6th, here is a brief resume of the proposed activities in London, Glasgow, and Nottingham. In Hyde Park, the usual trolley will be set up by three o’clock, and speakers will take turns in running the propaganda. Members should note that it helps the meeting to start more promptly if it is well supported by members. The Trades Union processions will be taking place and it is being planned that our members sell literature along the route. The procession will lead to Trafalgar Square where other parties will be holding meetings. Therefore, apart from selling literature along the route, we need a good number of members to circulate among the crowds at Trafalgar Square with the literature. In view of the fact that Ealing Branch has circularised London Branches in an endeavour to greatly increase the Socialist Standard sales, for May, this is an additional appeal to help to achieve this aim. Will Comrades willing to assist, please contact (personally, or by letter), the Propaganda Committee at Head Office. The sooner we have a list of willing Comrades the sooner and better we can make arrangements.

Glasgow (City and Kelvingrove Branches) are holding their May Day Rally on the afternoon of May 6th at Queen's Park Recreation Ground and at St Andrew’s Halls, Berkeley Street from 7.30 pm. Several speakers will be on. the platform.

Nottingham Branch are holding a Mass Rally in the Market Square on the same day (May 6th) at 3 p.m. Speakers: J. Garnham, J. Keys and F. Warlow.

London. At Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, WlC.l, a Rally will be held after the propaganda meeting in Hyde Park. The meeting commences at 7.30 p.m., the title “ POLITICAL MATURITY AND THE STRUGGLE FOR SOCIALISM.” Speakers: R. Coster and W. Read. Although every effort will be made to advertise this London meeting, as there arc restrictions at the moment regarding printing, it is essential that members and sympathisers pass on the details of this meeting as widely as possible, in order that we have a really good attendance. So please note the details and PASS THE WORD ALONG!

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A Meeting was held at Conway Hall on Monday, March 12th. Comrades Bryan and May spoke on "Departing Empires—the Socialist attitude.” Although the attendance at the meeting was small, mainly due, we feel sure to being unable to advertise as usual, the audience was very interested and good questions were put to the speakers.

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There is good news from Camberwell Branch again. Apart from having kept open-air meetings going throughout the winter at East Street, Walworth, the branch has vigorously extended canvassing the Socialist Standard. In the first two months of the year, as a result of one of the meeting stations being closed, the sales of the Socialist Standard usually fall to eight dozen. For the two months this year, however, 22 dozen were sold in the same period. The Branch would like to assure the Ealing Branch Comrades of their enthusiastic and practical support for their proposed May drive to really put the Socialist Standard into working-class hands on a large scale. The Branch is more than confident that in May they will more than double the average monthly sale of 10 dozen copies, and maintain it at the highest possible level. Meetings are held each Wednesday at Camberwell Green at 8 p.m.

The Branch holds its meetings on Thursday at the “Artichoke,” just past Camberwell Green,1, at 8 p.m. The room is comfortable. All are welcome.

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Swansea Group, though having lost members through transference to another branch have kept the Party before the reading public by constant letters to the Press on various topics. One Member's letter was given prominence on the billposters of the Swansea Voice, the public being shocked with glaring head lines, i.e., Swansea Man wants to do away with Money!

Challenges have been issued to various organisations and including a reverend gentleman who conducts a class on the "Art of Public Speaking.” This expert, needless to say, refused to test his skill against a Socialist speaker. The Llanelly branch of the Conservative Party has also refused to debate with us.

Swansea hope to be able to hold more open-air meetings during the coming summer, and are in contact from Comrades from London with this in view.

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Outdoor Meetings. With the arrival of spring, the number of outdoor meetings held will increase and details of the additional meetings, are given under the list of outdoor meetings advertised in this issue. Make a note please and attend as many as possible—good support for meetings stimulates speakers, helps to sell more literature and so helps along the work of the Party which is to propagate SOCIALISM.

Phyllis Howard

Scandinavian Tour (1968)

Party News from the September 1968 issue of the Socialist Standard

During a recent tour of Scandinavia four members—our comrades Assirati, Cox, Garnham, and Zucconi —came upon a ‘Free Speech Tribune’ in the concourse next to the Central Station in Stockholm. Needless to say, they required little encouragement to take advantage of this opportunity, newly provided by a considerate City Council, and Dom Zucconi eagerly mounted the raised pulpit.

Introducing the Party to the groups of bystanders, who quickly reformed into a solid audience of 200, our speaker was able to present our case—in English. It was soon apparent that there was no language barrier when the all too familiar, questions and objections were raised.

Although a five or ten minute speech is usual for this democratic innovation, Dom ably upheld the party traditions in resisting one vociferous objector “. . . why don’t you go back to your own country?” and another who actually joined him in the box to insist he’d spoken enough. With the support of the audience, indicated by an overwhelming show of hands, he continued his exposition of the Party’s attitude for an hour.

The four members subsequently engaged in discussion with a number of those interested One promised to pass around, as he finishes with it, the considerable amount of literature sent to him.

It is to be hoped that this outdoor facility, so convenient for our purposes (no lugging around of the platform), will be used by any other Party speakers visiting the delightful capital city of Sweden.

We should also mention the other 'aid to democratic practice’ provided at the same spot—a large expanse of white painted wall on which can be written or stuck slogans, messages and political statements. Another of our group took advantage here of a prominent space to mark up a concise statement of what Socialism is and is not. But the message should be renewed as the authorities periodically re-paint the wall, presenting a 'fresh page’ to cater for the sloganeering of each new spate of alliances, protests and 'immediate demands'.

Although these 'outlets’ may have overtones of civic paternalism and don't compare with Speakers’ Corner, they have their uses and are certainly better than nothing in a country previously devoid of such recognised speaking spots.

Louis J. Cox