The Labor enquirer., 1885-01-31
BRITISH SOCIALISTS.

l..
irresponsible editor of Justice 3" he
could print what he chose and exclude
whatever was distasteful 10 himself.
This power he used in both ways, In
the case of the annual conference, he
entirely omitted any mention of the
abolition of the chairmanship or any list
OF the delegates names and gave merely
lis report to the conference--or an essay
on the rise and growth of the Demo
cratic Federation. This will show hat
effect his leadership might have. He
vtas in fact the superintendent of the
Social Democratic Federation. Then,
again, the secretary of the Federation
was a mere fgure-head, as secretary.
II. H. Champion has worked hard for
the cause, and is now doing so, perhaps
much harder than proper consideration
for his health would permit. But the
post of secretary he only filled in name,
the work being done by an under secre-
tary who was the mere tool of Mr.. Hynd
man. 1t will thus be seen that, with the
paper and the correspondence OF the
federation at his disposal, Mr., HVnd
nan could act quite apart from the
Council.
The position of the really Socialist
party was difficult one. 1t required
determined and prompt action, and L
;hink the Socialists of America will see
hat our action was at once the mcst dig
nifed for ourselves and least injurious to
the cause as whole, in this country. a
split was inevitable But there were
TWO ways-only tYo-in which the mat
ter could be settled. First, that we stay
in the Social Democratic Federation and
carry on bitter and incessant personal
conflict, until the reactlonary party were
routed and the Federation purified.
Second, that we withdraw from the Social
Democratic Federation and form a new
organization, start new paper, and
begin over again. This latter course we
adopted. On Saturday, December q, we
left the Council of the Social Democratic
Federation and at once set to work to
get up new organization. We are now
at 1t. Our hands are untrammcled bV
any reactionary bonds, held by those
who called themselves comrades. We
have only to think about how best to
make our method of propaganda strong
efficient and independent Cf any leader
ship, boss-ship, or superintendercy, and
are not worried about the probable dam,
age which may be done by lnsincere or
uneducated comrades. We must build
up new organisation. but that would
have been quite as necessary ana much
more difficult had we stayed in the Social
Democratic Federation: That body has
no organization whateyec. Since VT
haye withdrawn there are on Y number
of disContented radicals and tory demo,
CfdIS, WIFI lew SOOu'H HCd4ltu lISI
whose infatuation for being 8upern,
tended by the figure-head, is all that
keeps them from being good, sound
Socialists. Then We must also start new
paper, but that is much easier than re,
modelling the old one-"JuStice"-and
lift it from the position in whicE its edl.
torship has sunk. The work before US Is
great, but not greater than our determ
ination to do it, We look to American
comrades not only for sympathy and
cordial feeling, but for active real inter
course Reports of the progress of Oul
work will be sent from time to time, and
We will expect the fullest reclprocatior
of that means of making our connection
with America as close as possible
Do not think the cause has suffered by
this split. 1t has greatly gained. Fol
now a pure and thoroughly Revolution
ary organization has taken the cause il
hand and will push it on.
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