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

William Morris was a delegate from
England to the Marxist Congress and, as
a matter of course, one Of its most
prominent figures. He gives as follows
some Of his impressions
"The spirit of the Congress was good,
the enthusiasm undoubted, The mere
presence of so many Socialists come to-
gether from so many countries, SO ear
nest and eager, was inspirlting and en-
couraeing.
'tIlttle was done at the first meeting
except what might be called formal
business; but it was clear from the first
that there were two parties in the Con-
gress, one of which was anxious almost
at any price for fusion with the Posi-
bilists, and the other quite con ntented to
let them hold their deliberations by
themselves. Accordingly a meeting of
the English delegates met on Monday
afternoon to decide upon their course Of
action, at which the delegates of the
League were unanimous for keeping
quite apart from the POssibilist Con
gress, which has no pretensions to being
a Socialist Congress, and considering
that Germany is quite unrepresented
there, and that there is distinct smack
of jingoism about it, no udlld preten-
sions to being international.
1--WE expected that this question of fu-
sion would come on in the evening SIT
ting of Monday, bat the whole time was
taken up III settling various details Of
the constitution OF the Congress, some
of which excited angry feelings among
the French delegates; the cause Of
which it was difficult, or rather impossi-
bic, for stranger to understand. Un
derlying it all, however, was this ques-
ton of fusion; for it must be under
stood that the Belgian, Dutch and ltal-
ian delegates had definite mission to
bring about fusion of the two Con-
crosses, and that many Of them were
very hot about it,
The next morning we received at
our headquarters Comrades Charles and
]. and X. Turner, and at the Congress
the ground was cleared for the settle
ment of this question of fusion. There
were practically three resolutions be-
fore the meeting. Domea Nieuwenhuis
spoke for the fusion in a speech which
his obvious earnestness and good will
made very impressive; though he IL
nored the fact that as 70 the French
party neither the Guesdists nor the
Possibilists really desired it, and rightly
so, as the breach was too great between
them to be healed by a mere formality.
Tressaud, the Marseilaise delegate, IN a
speech quite straightforward and to the
point, spoke against the fusion, and
followed him, and supported him with
the full assent Of our comrades OF the
League.
"I.iebknecht brought forth another
motion which threw the onus of max
ing the fusion on the POSsIblllsts; and
this was clearly the popular view among
the French and German delegates. The
propositions made, long time was
spent in a somewhat wearsome and
very Involved discussion as to how we
were to vote, and at last it was settled
that the voting should be by nations.
Then the voting took place, aud 1t be-
came clear that if we voted for Tres
saudi proposal, as we should have pre-
ferred to do and thus took our votes
away from Liebknecht, we should risk
giving the majority to those who wished
for fusion on almost any terms We
therefore voted for Liebknecht's pro
posal.
"The next morning wednesday, We
heard that the Possibilists had accepted