Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-08-10


which 1t was clearly impossible for us
to agree to- as even those who had been
most eager in pressing on the fusion adj
mltted. We answered the Possibiists
therefore that we could not agree to
these terms, and in the evening received
an answer from them in return break
ing oil the negotiations for good and
all.
1--WE had thus wasted two whole days
IN discussing Il matter which, i'll the
opinion of the delegates of the Socialist
League, ought never to have been dis
cusSed ut all, since our Congress WAS
open even at the last moment to the
delegates of any genuine wOrkmgrlen's
association, so that there was nothing
to prevent anyone from joining US who
felt friendly toward us. AID further
more, the plain truth is that real union
between the two French Sections was
impossible, and an artificial union would
have produced worse quarrels, and have
prevented any profitable discussion, to
say the least of it.
"On Wednesday morning, with this
matter of the fusion hanging unsettled
over us, began the reading of the re-
ports, Bebe leading off for Germany
"Ihe earnestness and enthusiasm of
the delegates was very impressive, and
seems to have made some impression
even on bOUrgeois observers; and what
ever eagerness there was in debate, we
all met out of debate with great friend
lness and good will. A great many of
the delegates have continually found
themselves sitting at the same table for
the meal after the session in the pleas
ATTEST and most traternal manner in the
cheaper restaurants round about the
place of meeting
In relation to the Possibilist Congress-
which William Morris, with the hatred
of poet rather than with the cool
Judgment of an economist, denounces
as "having no pretenslons to being
socialist or international one" H.
Quelch, editor of Justice, writes as fol-
lows:
"By far the most important event, as
the one which is likely to be most far
reaching in its effects, which has taken
place in Paris in this the centennial
year of the French Revolution, was the
International Workers Congress. The
crowning result of the labors of this
gathering of workers delegates from all
parts of the civilized world was the re.
establishment, on broader and more
democratic basis, of that International
Association of Workmen which, some
twenty years ago, was terror and a
menace to every tyranny in Europe.
Ca iraF And that the more surely,
the more rapidly, the more triumph
antly, because it was not the inCep-
ton of a few clever theorists, of emf
nent doCtrinaires, but the act of the
delegates Of the organized proletariat
of the civilized world who, by their
votes on Saturday, gave effect to the
mandate of thousands and to the aspl-
rationB of millions of tOiIers in both
hemispheres. No one can deny that
our comrades of the Parti Ouvrier Of
France deserve credit and Congratula-
ton for having got together, in spite of
all the difficulties thrown in their way,
what Mrs. Besant described az the
grandest International Labor Congress
that has ever been held 1t was indeed
a remarkable gathering; and not less
remarkable, as showing the progress of
socialist principles, were the points
up which All international agreement
were arrived at. A maximum working
day of eight hours, to be fixed by inter
national law, with no more than SIX
days work a week; the abrogation Of
night work as far as possible for men
and women, and absolutely for children;
the suppression Of child labor and the
abolition of all laws against the interna-
tional organization of labor. These are
among the principal resolutions which
were carried, not by Socialists alone,
acting with free hand, but by dele
gates of trades unions and other labor
organizations, voting on the express
mandate of some tens of thousands of
English, American, Dutch, Danish,
Spanish, Portuguese, Austrian, Belgian,
and French w0rkmen. The new Inter.
national will GO indeed, if all is done
that can be done between now and the
Belgian Congress in 1891 to give effect
to these resolutions, and if English
trade uniOnists show as much loyalty in
working for them as was displayed by
their delegates at the Congress with
regard to their mandate.
"These resolutions embody the points
of agreement upon which Socialists and
trade unionists of all countries can cor
dially cooperate as means toward the
final emancipation OF labor. They are
an evidence of the closing up of the
ranks of labor; of the breaking down of
the barrier which has so long divided
the arstocracy of labor from the rank
and file of the proletarian army. When
trade unionistS declare for such meas
ures as these it shows that they are be-
coming convinced of the suicidal nature
of their policy of isolation, that they are
learning to recognize the solidarity of
labor, without distinction of trade or
grade, and of the necessity of standing
shoulder to shoulder with the whole of