Party News (1961)

Party News from the January 1961 issue of the Socialist Standard

Islington Branch and CND

In September last the Islington Branch Organiser received a letter from the Islington Campaign Committee for Nuclear Disarmament, giving details of their local activities. The latter stated they were prepared to send a speaker to give an address on Nuclear Disarmament, or, if it was preferred, they could show a film which they considered would be of interest. Or, if the Branch preferred, they would be prepared to debate with the Party.

The Branch decided that a debate would be a good proposition and immediately the local CND Secretary was contacted by telephone. He was advised that we accepted their proposition to debate and that the Branch could and would make all the necessary arrangements. The CND Secretary stated that he would have to put the matter before his committee. Islington Branch wrote confirming the telephone conversation, giving suggested dates and asked if the CND wished to hold the debate in Islington or elsewhere, also the motion suggested for debate.

The letter was acknowledged and it was stated that the Committee had agreed to the debate and that definite arrangements were awaited. All details were supplied. The proposed date was Thursday, December 22nd, and the venue, the Main Hall at the Holloway Co-operative building. The subject. “Nuclear Disarmament or Socialism?” Our representative’s name was given. All the arrangements were confirmed by the CND.

Three weeks later a letter was received stating that they had appointed a new secretary and a new committee who had reconsidered the matter and had decided against taking part in the debate. The reason given by them was that the policy of the new committee is not to argue for or against any particular philosophy. They offered to send a speaker as an alternative and ended their letter by remarking that they regretted the change of plan, “but as CND embraces all religions, creeds and philosophies,” they hoped “we would understand and try to bear with them.”

Ealing

Last month’s film show “Can We Be Rich?” given by Comrade Hardy, was very successful and has encouraged the Branch to try to arrange for three more shows to be held in January, February and March. These will alternate with lectures and discussions—altogether a fairly heavy programme which we hope members will make every attempt to support. Further details will be sent to all members and will, of course, appear in the Socialist Standard.

Woolwich

During the past year Woolwich Branch has maintained its activity and has had many discussions on current topics and the Party case.

The Branch has recently ended a satisfactory outdoor Propaganda season at Beresford Square. The number of meetings held and interest shown indicate that this is worthwhile and essential Party activity.

It is intended to pursue this method of propaganda next year and to continue to obtain the services of speakers and the sup-port of members.

A welcome is extended to all who would like to attend the branch. Time is always set aside for discussion after branch business.

Coventry Group

It may interest readers to know that a Socialist Discussion Group has recently been formed in Coventry. The first meeting of this Group was held on Monday, November 21st, in the Coffee Room (upstairs) “Craven Arms,” High Street, near Broadgate. Meetings will be held Monday fortnightly thereafter, all proceedings commencing at approximately 7.30 p.m.

Coventry members of the Socialist Party of Great Britain have been instrumental in organising this Group, the general aim and purpose of which will be to work towards the formation of a Coventry Branch of the Socialist Party of Great Britain. Generally. discussions will be held on Socialism and anything pertaining to it, and it is hoped to organise some lectures also. No one will be precluded from attending by virtue solely of views divergent from the S.P.G.B.s—obviously. And all—within the inevitable and necessary limits of an organísed discussion Group—will have complete freedom of expression.

You are cordially invited to attend any of the meetings—and the Group members will be pleased indeed to welcome you.

Meetings : Mondays, January 2nd, 16lh and 30th.

Head Office

Comrade Gilmac is regularly at Head Office from 2 to 7 p.m. (later on Tuesday) from Monday to Friday. He is happy to supply information about literature or any other Head Office matters. Telephone : MACauley 3811.

Please note when writing to Head Office, always write the name of the Party in full. It so happens that a local firm uses initials for its title and they are similar to ‘SPGB.’ No doubt we might get some of their correspondence and it is more than likely they receive some of ours, so in order to avoid confusion write SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN on all Head Office correspondence.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1962)

Party News from the July 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

Wembley Branch has continued active and has seized the opportunity afforded by finer weather to step up efforts. Regular canvasses are still being held at the rate of one a month and a combined canvass and meeting was held at Portsmouth on June 17th. Alternating with Ealing Branch, meetings are being run every other Thursday at Earls Court throughout the Summer Season. All members arc urged to give these their utmost support.

Locally, the branch has plans for advertising its meetings by poster on Railway. Station hoardings in the area and suitable posters are being designed. Lectures and discussions are held every other Monday and these are always advertised in the local press. Often, outsiders attend and help to liven proceedings. A film show “The German Story" was scheduled for June 18th, but we go to press too early for a report on it. We hope to do this next month.

Glasgow have made a very good start and by the end of May four outdoor meetings had been held, average audience 100. Literature sales and collections amounting to nearly £5. The last indoor meeting of the winter season was held at Woodside Halls where the audience was 57 and literature sales and collection was £4. Stimulated by the activity of the elections in the Kelvin Ward, the Comrades are working harder than ever to get Socialist message over to the workers.

Comrades McCarthy and R. Mitchell went to Belfast to assist the World Socialist Party of Ireland in the recent election campaign. Fourteen members attended and supported a meeting in Blitz Square on Sunday, May 27th. Some comrades travelled from Armagh. Two sympathisers assisted the Party members and the audience at one time numbered 100. Literature was sold and a collection taken. In addition a door-to-door distribution of leaflets was made; a tour of the constituency with a public address system, stopping on the way at various housing estates to hold meetings. Leaflets were stuck on all suitable spaces—as one comrade said: "The public must have thought we were paper-hangers gone mad but to us it looked good".

The result was that the W.S.P. of Ireland polled 62 votes. Press statements had been given and three papers reported them in full. Our comrades Mitchell and McCarthy were most impressed by the well-organised hard work put in by the Irish members and commented on the pleasure it was to be of some help to them.

Coventry Group are still going strong and have moved to better premises which they feel sure will be advantageous. The Group has written to Party members in nearby Rugby and Leamington Spa with news of the Group’s activities and it is hoped that they will be able to join in and before long form the nucleus of a Coventry Branch. The Group is also contacting Birmingham Branch with a view to pooling their resources for propaganda generally.

A comrade writes from Wellington, New Zealand that several sympathisers are scanning local newspapers for reviews of the January Socialist Standard which contained articles on the Common Market as copies were circulated to the press. The main point of interest at the moment is the tape recorded lectures which members are able to pass around and so interest many more people than if they had to travel long journeys for discussions. Wherever possible members attend meetings of various organisations in order to meet people and discuss the Party case by way of questions and talks after meetings.

Swansea Branch recently had a debate with the local Liberals. 6 /- worth of literature was sold. Forty people attended and many showed great interest in the Party's point of view. A member met the prospective Liberal candidate recently and he agreed that Socialism would come eventually and that the Socialist Standard was the finest political journal on the market. It is likely that another debate will ensue before very long. In general the Socialist Party is becoming well known in the district. Maybe it won't be all that long time before another branch functions in Swansea?

. . . 

Last but not least. An appeal in last month’s issue for donations to help our propaganda work has resulted in some donations from London. Let more follow. Two comrades from Australia sent £10 to help the cause. This example will be encouraging to all those who wish to bring Socialism nearer.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1962)

Party News from the December 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

Glasgow Branch. Members have been enthusiastically working hard throughout the year, following up the work done during the Municipal elections, they are carrying on with great energy and success during the Parliamentary by-election at Woodside, Glasgow. Apart from the normal meetings and canvassing, additional meetings have been arranged, and despite the fact that St. Andrews Halls (where a whole series of meetings had been arranged) was burned down a week or so ago, the members quickly arranged other accommodation—at the Woodside Halls—and are carrying on.

The Lewisham Branch series of lectures has got off to a good start. Members have done a great deal of preparatory work. Every weekend since the end of September members have been touring the area posting bills announcing forthcoming lectures and meetings; some sixty or seventy posters have gone up each weekend, all of them written by hand by branch members. Street maps have been made of each part of the local district, and members have covered each area in turn putting printed hand-bills through the letter boxes. The work of organising and advertising the lectures is now beginning to show fruit. Five lectures had been held up to November 12th. At the first one there were four visitors, besides a good attendance of branch members; the visitors returned in the following weeks, together with a steadily increasing number of others, until at the fifth lecture on November 12th, there were fourteen visitors. The Branch room is now getting overcrowded and if attendances continue to increase the Branch will have to consider hiring a larger room. At the first lecture the literature sales amounted to 4s.; at the fifth, they came to 14s. Collections at the first four meetings averaged £1 6s. 0d.; at the November 12th lecture the collection was £2 1s. 6d. And at this same lecture three of the visitors enquired how they should apply to join the Party. Lewisham Branch members are now looking forward eagerly to the meeting at Lewisham Town Hall on November 27th. (This at the time of going to press). The challenge to all other local political parties to debate the Socialist Party of Great Britain at this meeting was printed in the "Kentish Mercury” as a news item.

Coventry Group has been busily occupied “on the canvass” on Sunday mornings. Their method was to call at houses and leave copies of back issues of the Socialist Standard and leaflets and followed up on the third Sunday with the October Standard to sell. The comrades are optimistic that they can work up a good sales result by this method and at the same time they consider it good propaganda to distribute back issues to people who will most likely read them, instead of back issues being left on branch and Head Office shelves. The Group is arranging a combined propaganda/social drive at Rugby one Saturday afternoon, selling literature outside Rugby’s Central Library and having a social at the home of Comrade Skillings (late of London) who has visited the group meeting place and is very impressed with the work being done by the Group members. Another Party member will soon be resident in Coventry and Comrades are hoping that before long the Group will become the Coventry Branch of the SPGB.

Two donations have recently been made to the Party—one from a close sympathiser and associate of Hackney Branch. He is anxious that more copies of the Standard are sold, and he is particularly concerned that there is a deficit balance on the cost and sales of the Standard, hence his donation. The other donation was made to Islington Branch and was sent by workers in the Mount Pleasant Sorting Office. This, and the other donation are of great help to the Party and very much appreciated.

For meetings, him shows and socials, please read pages 191 also the Branch Directory for Branch meeting dates and times, where all are welcome by Party comrades. A new pamphlet—The Case for Socialism has been published by the Party. Price One Shilling. This is a most useful and interesting pamphlet, especially for comrades who are contacting workers who have not yet read much about Socialism.

Annual Reminder. In this, and most issues, is a subscription form for the Socialist Standard. How could one better start 1963 than by being certain that every month a copy of the Standard will be received by a friend or relation. For 8s. which includes postage, this can be arranged. Fill in the form, send the cash to Head Office and the rest is done. Apart from passing on some first class reading matter, one will be helping to sell more Standards and most of all, spreading Socialist propaganda which is the only way to interest workers in Socialism, and, being interested, they will work for Socialism.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1962)

Party News from the June 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

Branch news usually means what it says, but this month we are happy to include so much news of Socialist activity throughout April and May concerning England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand and Canada that to give the full reports of activities the whole of the Standard could well be used. Nevertheless, although it is greatly condensed. it is with pleasure that we report on the splendid work done by comrades during the past two months.

Glasgow. Municipal Election results. 

• Pre-election outdoor and indoor meetings to audiences of from 20 to 100:
• Literature sales—30s.
• Collections. £2 10s. 0d. (at April 30th meeting at Woodside Halls).
• Literature canvassing—Over 700 Socialist Standards (February. March and April). Pamphlets—6s. 8d. 
• Total sales—£17 18s. 2d.
• 8.000 Election Manifestos distributed also 1.500 “Introducing the S.P.G.B.’’ leaflets.

Publicity: the most spectacular effort in this direction was Comrade Mulheron's appearance on the Scottish Television programme:— “Here and Now”. This was a programme which dealt with the North Kelvin Election and interviews with all six parties. Regretfully the interview was brief, but our spokesman crammed as much as possible into the few seconds allowed him. Although the propaganda value of this very brief appearance was perhaps not very great, it at least sets the precedent for future appearances.

There was very little Press publicity apart from many mentions that the SPGB was one of the six contesting parties. But the Scottish Daily Express did consider that they considered the Party a “far left group”.

Polling: 76 votes were registered. Members of the Glasgow Branch summed up as follows: “We consider this, our first effort at a Municipal Election in Glasgow, a success from two standpoints:—

1. The experience gained of organising meetings in the area, distributing Manifestos and literature, and of the legal set-up at election time.
2. The amount of literature sold, the valuable opportunity of getting our case over to the workers, and the prestige gained for the Party in Glasgow.

We see no reason why we should not contest more and more elections in Glasgow in the future, with, we are sure, greater success in the light of this experience.

World Socialist Party of Ireland. Much activity is afoot in Belfast where for the first time the Party is contesting the forthcoming National election in the Pottinger constituency of Belfast. Like the Glasgow comrades (except that as yet there are not so many of them), the Belfast comrades are extremely energetic and enterprising and they are planning their election campaign with vigour and foresight. We all wish them every success. Whatever help can be given from London certainly will be forthcoming.

May Day Rallies. The first to be reported is the London meeting held on Tuesday, May 1st at Caxton Hall. Westminster. An audience of over 150 listened with interest to Comrades D’Arcy and Fahy who spoke on the implications of May Day and Socialism and answered questions followed by discussion for the second half of the meeting. A collection of £26 15s. 0d. was taken and literature sales were particularly good. It was pleasing that the Party, for the first time for many years, was able to hold a meeting on May 1st. It is hoped that this will be a precedent for future years.

Glasgow. Comrades Fahy and Corry travelled to Glasgow on Saturday. May 5th fully able and willing to assist the Glasgow Comrades in their May Day propaganda meetings. They joined the Glasgow comrades in Exchange Square (first meeting at this station this year) and by 3 pm they were well away with the meeting, which lasted until 5.30 pm. Many comrades travelled long distances to give support to the meeting.

The terminus for the May Day procession on the Sunday was at Queen's Park, but only the “official” Labour Party meeting was permitted there. The SPGB outdoor meeting was held in the Recreation Ground. The ILP with loud speaker and lorry etc, had little support and after half an hour they succumbed and the SPGB carried on until 5.30 pm. Literature figures for this outdoor meeting are not available at the moment, but a 30s. collection was taken. All this was a prelude to the indoor meeting at the Cosmo Cinema. The audience numbered 170. and £18 was collected. Comrade Fahy was somewhat abashed, after speaking for some time, when he suggested that questions from the audience were in order, only to find a couple of minutes go by without a question. He need not have worried. Before he could dwell much on the situation (wondering whether he had converted them to Socialism or whether he had failed to make the case dear) he was asked question upon question and found himself racing against time to clarify all points that were raised before the meeting had to end.

To quote Comrade Fahy. “For us this was a memorable occasion. The enthusiasm, drive and energy of the Glasgow comrades, not to mention their hospitality have to be seen and experienced to he fully appreciated. For their meetings they produce all their own posters, and chose their sites carefully; in fact we saw many posters advertising Gilmac’s meeting of some months ago still intact and legible. In conclusion, to any London comrades feeling dispirited with the struggle, we would say ’Go North Young man for the week-end.’” Comrade Corry spoke at both the outdoor meetings.

Hyde Park. Although the weather was certainly not at its best, London comrades rallied to Hyde Park for the May 6th meeting. This was well supported and good literature sales were made. As there was no evening indoor meeting (one having been held on May 1st) the meeting carried on longer than usual.

Nottingham. Meetings were held throughout the day at Slab Square. The audiences were not large, although in the evening after the noise of bands and singing by other factions had ended, the comrades were able to hold an interesting meeting. Throughout the day. members of the Branch and from London were selling literature. As this was the first propaganda meeting this season it is hoped that it has sparked off the outdoor meetings. If comrades from London and elsewhere can make occasional trips to support the Nottingham members, it should help them carry on the good work previously done in this town. Apart from the London members, others came quite long distances to support the May Day Rally.

At Bristol (Durdham Downs) and Swansea, as well as Belfast, meetings were also held and the Party members in these towns, although few in number, are working very hard to spread the Socialist message.

Coventry Group were unable to hold a May Day Rally, but its members, determined to make some extra protest against capitalism, decided to "cover" the Labour Party meeting. Quite a bit of heckling took place and the comrades sold 20 copies of the May Socialist Standard in addition to some pamphlets. As the secretary of the Group commented: “A pleasing evening's Socialist propaganda work.” More good news about Coventry activities next month.

The Annual Conference got off to a good start on Friday. April 20th and by Sunday afternoon the Agenda had been completed and many good debates had taken place. The Social on Saturday was well attended. The Sunday evening Party Rally was also successful, on the platform Comrades Montague (Ireland). Donnelly (Scotland) and Joyce Millen (London).

Also at Easter week-end, the Paddington Branch organised their literature sales drive in connection with the Aldermaston March. Forty comrades supported the venture including Party members from Ireland, one from South Africa, together with provincial comrades. 9.500 leaflets were distributed 426 Socialist Standards, 125 war pamphlets, and other literature was sold despite the fact that it was more difficult this year as the march did not go to Trafalgar Square and all the work had to be done whilst the March was in progress.

Rather than shorten two stimulating reports one from British Columbia on activities there, and another from New Zealand, where Party members are having success with tape recordings of lectures--it is hoped to give full details in next month’s Socialist Standard.

By and large, it is obvious that the work of comrades over the years, throughout the SPGB and Companion Parties, is bearing fruit and it cannot fail to stimulate greater efforts and thereby bring Socialism nearer fruition.

A pleasing postscript. We have received the sum of £100 from a comrade who wishes to remain anonymous. Whilst respecting his wish, we feel that this generous donation should at least be recorded with our appreciation.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1962)

Party News from the April 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

This month is going to be an exceptionally busy one for the Party. The Annual Conference, Rally and Social (April 20th, 21st and 22nd); planning for May Day Meetings; and in Glasgow, our comrades are preparing for the hustings in May, when they are contesting Kelvin Ward in the Municipal Elections. Their Election Address is re-printed on page 64.

The Party in London is departing from its recent practice of holding an evening meeting following the Sunday afternoon May Day Rally, instead an indoor meeting is being held at Caxton Hall, on Tuesday May 1st. Details are given elsewhere in this issue. Sunday, May 6th in Hyde Park from 3 pm will be the Outdoor Rally. Our speakers will be putting the Socialist case from a decorated stand. There should be a good audience in the Park, but we will need every available member there to assist and especially to help sell Party Literature.

Camberwell Branch continues to maintain a high level of activity. In addition to the regular work of running two outdoor meetings and canvassing the Socialist Standard, the Branch has been well represented on the propaganda trips to Coventry as well as other London indoor meetings and literature drives. The Branch is now holding a series of discussion meetings. One on ‘Trade Unions' proved very interesting as did the following discussions on the 'Hidden Persuaders' and ‘Workers and Politics ’. Branch members also had the pleasure of hearing Comrade Gilmac talk on his tour of America and Canada.

In spite of the severe weather at the beginning of the year, Wembley Branch persisted with its canvassing efforts. The small band of comrades turned out in biting winds and flurries of snow, to play their part in expanding sales of the “S.S. At the end of April, it is hoped to go further afield and try a canvass in the Maidstone area. The branch lectures were continued throughout the winter months. At the time of writing, a talk on Trade Unions was scheduled for March 19th. Wembley has been particularly active with two indoor public meetings and a film show on the programme. With the approach of Spring and Summer, we look forward to a successful outdoor propaganda season.

It seems to be more than a coincidence that political and religious bigotry are so often found in the same place. However, it is encouraging to hear how some of our friends manage to overcome these difficulties. In Grenada, in spite of the very strong influence of the Church, we have one isolated Socialist (whose nearest fellow Socialist is in Trinidad). In spite of the fact that he has been visited by the local Priests and threatened (not only with hell fire!), he holds regular discussions at his home and distributes our literature.

Much nearer home, in Dublin in fact, another lone Socialist has found a novel way of making our case known. As well as distributing literature in more usual ways, she has been cutting out selected articles from the Socialist Standard, pasted them on large sheets of paper, and then bill-posted them on hoardings and other advertising sites. She tells us that some of these homemade posters have been up for several weeks and. as they carry the Party address, she hopes we may make some new contacts. Her only complaint is that, for her purposes, she would prefer the size of the print to be larger!

Phyllis Howard

Obituary: Paddy Boylan (2005)

Obituary from the January 2005 issue of the Socialist Standard

Paddy Boylan, Socialist, died aged 86 in Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, on Sunday 24 October.

Paddy had been a member of the Socialist Party of Ireland in Dublin before emigrating to England in 1958 to work, like many others from Ireland, in the then booming car industry in Coventry. He was secretary of the Coventry Socialist Group in the early 1960s, made up largely of other Socialists who had also been forced to leave Ireland to find work.

In Paddy, Socialism has lost a lifelong advocate here in Coventry and in his native Dublin. We who had the pleasure of knowing him will miss him.

PS

From The Branches (1960)

Party News from the March 1960 issue of the Socialist Standard

Annual Conference

It is not too soon to remind Comrades that the Conference will be held at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London, on April 15th, 16th and 17th. A Social and Dance will he held on Saturday, April 16th: fuller details in next month's Standard.

“Gilmac” And “H”

"Gilmac" and “H’’— these noms de plume are so well-known to readers of the Socialist Standard — but one wonders how many readers appreciate that the owners of these names have been the mainstay of the production of the official organ of the Socialist Party of Great Britain for more years than we think even they can remember? It is more than thirty-five years ago that Comrades Gilmac and Hardy first became members of the Editorial Committee, and despite pressure of personal work and domestic worries, have toiled unceasingly to ensure that the only Socialist periodical in Great Britain was published regularly. Members of the Socialist Party of Great Britain rarely express thanks (although they are nonetheless appreciative) to Comrades who have worked so well and so unstintingly for Socialism. This comment is made now, as Comrades Gilmac and Hardy have decided not to stand for the Committee this year—obviously there is a time when even Socialists must have a respite. Although not formally on the Committee, they will certainly continue to write for the Standard, and members of the present Committee (who have learned much from Gilmac and Hardy over the years) know that they can have the counsel of Comrades Gilmac and Hardy at any time.

Coventry Activity

Comrades Boylan and Walsh are very active in Coventry and in their own words “have started our own little Socialist propaganda group on January 16th, when we attended W.E.A. one-day school on “Strikes,” the lecturer being Ihe regional secretary of the T. & G.W.U.” They suggest that after they had taken part in the discussion the lecturer must have felt Maddened, Baffled and Enraged. (He is, incidentally, an M.B.E.) Comrades Boylan and Walsh intend to visit these lectures regularly in an endeavour to get the Party’s name and case well known in Coventry and before long, to form a Group there.

Glasgow May Day

After an unavoidable gap of several years the two Glasgow Branches (City and Kelvingrove) have, at great cost, booked the Cosmo Cinema for their May Day Rally, I960. They hope to have the assistance of a speaker from London, and the Branches together are going all out to make the occasion successful. A fund has been set up to defray the cost and an appeal is made to members and sympathisers in Scotland especially and elsewhere in general, to spare what they can. Please send donations to either of the Branch Secretaries addresses under Branch Directory.

Phyllis Howard

Party News (1960)

Party News from the December 1960 issue of the Socialist Standard

Wembley
Wembley Branch has continued with its series of very interesting historical lectures, given by members of the Branch. These talks have stimulated good discussion and have been advertised in the local press. Current details are given elsewhere in this issue. Canvassing of the Socialist Standard is a regular feature of the Branch activity and some very worthwhile results have been obtained. At present, the order stands at 18 dozen copies per month, and it is hoped to expand sales gradually in the future.

The efforts of the Branch press correspondent have met with some gratifying success. The local paper has published write-ups of our meetings and lectures and, just recently, featured in full a letter on the question of rents and housing. The comrades were very encouraged to see this, particularly as the Editor took the trouble to inform his readers, in a footnote, that we were not connected with the Labour Party.

On December 17th, Branch comrades are running a Social at Ealing Park Tavern. South Ealing Road, W.5. Tickets are available from the Branch Secretary at 3s. 6d. each and the usual arrangements are in hand, including a band, and free refreshments. We look forward to a very happy get-together.


British Columbia
Last month under the title, “News from Canada,” we stated that the application of the Victoria Branch of the Socialist Party of Canada for an open-air speaking spot in a park has been refused. It appears that the local council have evidently relented, for we now learn that the Branch is holding outdoor meetings in Beacon Hill Park.

We have received some cuttings from Victoria local papers, with pictures of our comrades in action, and a statement that 200 attended their first meeting--including active hecklers.

One local paper had this to say

The inauguration of Victoria city’s own Hyde Park proved itself a great success Sunday afternoon. A very respectable crowd in both size, interest and behaviour braved rain, mud and buzzing model planes to listen to the ideas of the Socialist Party of Canada, the thoughts of a philosopher’s philosopher, and an appeal to give more blood.

These meetings should give a well deserved fillip to the efforts of our energetic comrades in Victoria.


Coventry
Our comrades in Coventry are organising a Group. Will members and sympathisers in the area contact P. Boylan at 71, Ford Street. Coventry. Already the nucleus of members has accomplished a lot, and with the added enthusiasm from other comrades, it will be possible to pave the way to the formation of the “Coventry Branch.”


The “Standard”
How do you obtain your copy of the Socialist Standard? At a meeting, a newsagent, a Branch? From a friend, street seller or casual acquaintance? No matter which, there is only one way to be certain of regularly receiving your copy each month—and that is by subscribing. For 7s. 6d. a year the Socialist Standard will be posted direct to you at the beginning of each month. Complete the form on page 191 and be certain of receiving the Socialist Standard throughout 1961.


Swansea
The newly formed Swansea Branch have held a public meeting in the Central Library; we will report on it next month.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1961)

Party News from the May 1961 issue of the Socialist Standard

May Day, 1961

May Day is being held on Sunday, May 7th. and the Party is arranging to hold as many meetings as possible to make more well known the case for Socialism. In London, at Hyde Park, in the afternoon Party members will gather to support the meeting and there will be three speakers. The platform will be in a prominent position on the grass. At 7.30 p.m. there will be an indoor rally at Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road (near Victoria Station). At both these meetings, the support of as many comrades and sympathisers as possible will add to the success of the demonstration.

In Glasgow, at Queen’s Park, meetings will be held, followed by an indoor Rally at St. Andrews Halls, Berkeley Street. So, Glasgow Comrades, turn out to support the meetings as the London Comrades will be doing—rain or shine. See that every effort is made to Demonstrate For Socialism.

Trafalgar Square, Easter Monday

Despite drenching rain and cold, grey skies, comrades of the Socialist Party of Great Britain dauntlessly and enthusiastically rallied round and showed their worth by turning out—at least fifty in number, to sell literature at the termination of the C.N.D. Easter march in Trafalgar Square. Some comrades were at the Albert Memorial and others at the Square. Their efforts resulted in the sale of literature to the extent of £13 14s. 44—350 Socialist Standards and 89 War pamphlets. In addition 5,000 Nuclear leaflets were distributed, resulting (up to the time of going to press) in ten enquiries for more information about the Party, and five requests, with Postal orders for War pamphlets. Among these enquiries were requests from Montrose in Scotland and Aberdare in Wales. This was a first-class effort on the part of Party comrades and proves that with enthusiasm and organisation—even the worst weather is not a bar to getting on with the job! One of the Paddington Comrades, in an effort to preserve the literature, wrapped individual copies in cellophane for protection. It is hoped also that the handbills (which were also distributed) advertising the April 19th meeting at St. Pancras Town Hall, will prove equally successful.


Coventry Group

Coventry members are still very active and are in contact with Birmingham Branch with a view to holding some joint outdoor meetings in Birmingham during the summer. The Group members regularly attend political meetings, take part in discussion and then sell Socialist Standards outside the meeting places. For a small group this is very good work and the Group members are hoping that their various contacts will, in the not too far distant future, enable them to form a Coventry Branch.


Central Branch

The Central Branch Secretary would very much like to hear from Comrades A. Bowley and C. J. Hutton. Correspondence has been returned from their addresses, without details of change.


Demonstration For Socialism

A full report of our successful meeting in St. Pancras will unfortunately have to beheld over until next month. We can nevertheless give the essential details. An audience of 400, plenty of questions and lively discussion, and a collection of over £25. All concerned have good reason to be pleased with such a fine result to their efforts — on such a miserably wet night too!

Phyllis Howard

Coventry Re-Blitzed (1961)

Party News from the July 1961 issue of the Socialist Standard

We arrived in Coventry at about 11.30 a.m. and by noon we had our platform up and our literature displayed on our stand. The speaker opened the meeting and comrades moved to the various points, some selling “Standards” and pamphlets and others distributing “Introductory” leaflets with the address of the Coventry group stamped on them. Soon we had a sizeable audience and the questions came fast and furious.

In the afternoon an individual in the audience, using some youthful arrivals from the local beer shop, attempted to create some trouble. This eventually caused a rumpus and Party members were obliged to rally to the aid of the platform.

Soon after we had reopened the meeting, the local police arrived on the scene. They insisted that we close the meeting, but not before our speaker had put the issue to the audience and secured a majority vote of hands for us to carry on. Nevertheless, we were obliged to give way to the forces of the State, and dismantled our platform to cries of "Shame” from the audience — directed at the police.

During our 'break' we were approached by the police inspectors to whom we gave the necessary details of the Party, and this provided amusing incidents, such as our inability to furnish details of our "leaders”. Just think of it; 57 years organised and no leaders to show for it! What did emerge during the course of the discussion was the fact that the police had been sent for by the local stores; British Home Stores flanked us on one side and Marks and Spencers on the other Marks and Spencers certainly didn’t want Mars and Engels! The Precinct in Coventry is the city's open, ultra modern, traffic-free shopping centre, and our meeting had attracted so many people that it was impossible to get into or out of the stores on either side. The Superintendent of the police later remarked that, whoever we were, we certainly hit Coventry with a bang, and apparently this was loud enough to stop the “commercial symphony” being played on the cash register bells!

However, we finally fixed things so that we could open again, and this we did at 4.30 p.m.. though in a different spot. We shouldn’t have been speaking at the first one in any case. We carried on for about half-an-hour and then had to vacate the speaking place in favour of some hot-gospellers (this description provided by the police), who had apparently booked it. So back we went to the scene of our former triumph, and here we carried on a successful meeting with no interruptions until 7 p.m.

We distributed 400 "Introductory" leaflets, sold literature to the value of £2 9s. 3d., made numerous contacts for the Coventry Group, and rolled back to London, highly pleased with our day's work and determined to return to Coventry in the near future.

Since the above report was written we have heard of two further propaganda ventures in Coventry. On June 10th and 17th London members joined with our Coventry comrades in running very successful outdoor meetings.

News from the Branches (1962)

From the August 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

Good news from Glasgow Branch which is going strong propounding Socialism to workers in Scotland. Eleven outdoor meetings were held in June, three of them in Edinburgh. Audiences averaged 100 and literature sales totaled £5. A collection of £3 was taken at an indoor meeting and £5 at the outdoor ones. Average attendances of members was nine.

Swansea Branch held a successful debate with the Liberal Party represented by R. Gool. The SPGB representative our comrade Harris gave a critical survey of the history of the Liberals demonstrating how their reformist policy was of no value to the working-class, and that there was no alternative to Socialism if workers wanted a better way of life. The Liberal attacked the idea of the "class-war" and belittled the Party because it was small and therefore ineffective. He argued that the Liberals were concerned with "day-to-day" issues and gave a list of reforms which he claimed would solve all the problems of the British. Good questions were put from an attentive audience who were clearly sympathetic to the Socialist case. Literature sales, 16s. and a promise was made by a member of the audience to donate her late father's books by Marx and Engels. More indoor meetings are planned especially in view of the interest shown at this debate.

Coventry Group have linked up with Birmingham Branch to conduct propaganda meetings in the Midlands, the first of which was held in June. This lasted for two hours with an audience never below 100 and at times 200. Other meetings will be held in Coventry and surrounding towns. SS subscribers have been notified of future meetings. The local library ban on the SS has been lifted as from June.

The newly formed Bromley Group is already very active busily canvassing the constituency with introductory leaflets and following up with sales of the SS and are finding the method very successful. Comrade May addressed a meeting at the local library. Advertising was made by handbills and posters. (Poor positions were chosen by the bill-posters so members quickly placed more in prominent positions). A van literally covered with posters for the meeting was placed in a busy shopping area on a Saturday. The same was intended on the Monday but was met by a police reception committee. A challenging letter in the local press failed to evoke any response from the Colossi to whom it referred. A contingent of CND supporters attended the meeting and were challenged to debate. Socialist Standard and pamphlets were sold and a collection of £2 taken and a report appeared in the local press. A lively and very promising start.

Bloomsbury Branch have sadly learned of the death of Nat Posner, who had been ill for some time. A member for over twenty years, he had known and supported the Party a long time and had interested workers in Socialism for more than forty years. Some of these joined the Party thirty years ago becoming very active in propaganda work. Originally working as a group at their place of work they sold thousands of Socialist Standards and pamphlets and took regular weekly collections for the Party from sympathizers over a period of years. Thus, our comrade Posner by quietly and patiently convincing others, set off a chain of socialist activity. He was a frequent chairman at outdoor meetings especially at Hyde Park; a consistent and staunch member, he will be missed.

P. H.

Coventry Socialist Group (1962)

From the March 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

ISVESTIA SUB-EDITOR VISITS COVENTRY. Thus ran the first line of a personal column ad. in the 22nd January issue of the Coventry Evening Telegraph. MEET MR. MATVEYEF the ad. went on. Well, the Coventry Socialist Group thought that it would be a better idea if Mr. Matveyef met us. So a few of us  went along to the meeting which, we learned later, was organised by the British-Soviet Friendship Society.

The Soviet sub-editor's speech was slow, halting and rather rambling—but this did nothing to diminish the applause which came at the end of it from the hundred or so Russophiles who were present. As soon as the applause had died down, one of our members was on his feet with some uncomfortable facts for Mr. Matveyef to digest about the Russian dictatorship and to remind him that, although the Communists claimed that the Soviet Union was different from Great Britain because it was a Socialist country, he had taken half an hour before he had even mentioned the word "Socialist."

Of course, the chairman had to intervene but this did not stop another member getting into the discussion later. He provoked considerable clamour by using the Soviet Weekly and the Russian Year Book to demonstrate that in the U.S.S.R. there interest-bearing bonds, capital accumulation, profit and exploitation of wage-labour—all hallmarks of the capitalist social system.

Mr. Matveyef's replies were evasive and lame. He begged our indulgence: he was not a professional lecturer (!) and was not equipped to take part in an ideological discussion. Socialism in Russia, he said , meant a planned economy and a rising standard of living—although he admitted that their standards were at present a long way below ours in Britain. Freedom of the press, he claimed, did exist in Russia - witness the readers' letters which complain about this and that and which sometimes result in governmental action. He ended with a familiar-sounding tirade against the commercialism, sex-exploiting and sensation-hunting Western press and went down bravely, trying to defend the one-party State-capitalist dictatorship which is the Soviet Union today and trying to justify its imperialist exploits.

Did the Coventry Socialists impress Mr. Matveyef? Alas, we cannot tell. We can only say that he took his impassive face from the hall not looking at all happy. For our part, we were well contented with our evening's work to dispel some of the illusions about Russia. We made one or two hopeful contacts and we sold six shillings worth of literature.

Coventry Socialist Group.