Published: Labour Leader, Saturday 8th August 1896, p.5
Note: The Congress described is the 4th Congress of the 2nd International, held in London, which saw the final expulsion of anti-parliamentary tendencies,
Transcribed: by Graham Seaman for the Marxists' Internet Archive.
Last edited: June 2025.
The Congress was no riot, save in the newspaper descriptions. Such disorder as we witnessed on the first two days was of a ridiculously commonplace character. I have seen far more lively times at the annual conference of a funeral society, and compared with Irish and English political meetings which I have attended the disorder was spiritless and tame. The anti-Anarchists were not one whit better behaved than the Anarchists, and oftentimes the chairman made it a point of excellence to make more noise than all the rest of the meeting put together.
Contrasted with our British Trades Congresses the intellectual force of last week's international gathering was evident at first sight. The Continental delegates, too, bore more than a favourable comparison with ourselves alike in capacity and behaviour. They stuck splendidly to their posts, the great mass of them hardly ever vacating their seats and never once "patronising" the refreshment bar.
Like many others, I regretted the exclusion of the non-parliamentary Socialists. Under the Zurich mandate they had, in my opinion, a right to come and sit in the Congress. However, though I voted against their exclusion, I feel that the question of Anarchists and non-parliamentarians taking part in Congresses where the majority are resolved upon legislative action is a perplexing one. I am convinced that the great bulk of those who voted against these delegates were not actuated by a spirit of intolerance, but by a desire to have freedom to do their own work in their own way. So far as I could observe the expulsion was purely theoretical. I have never been able to ascertain that a single delegate was actually turned out of the meeting!
The too obvious "bossing" upon the part of a section of the official German party upon the platform was sufficient to make some of us quake at the prospects of Social Democracy and turn a friendly eye towards Anarchism. Mrs. Aveling's jaunty indifference to and perfunctory translations of the speeches which she disapproved was one of the ghastly features of the Congress.
I wish to speak out on another point. The intrusive position occupied by Dr. Aveling in the Congress and at the Crystal Palace banquet was in my opinion an affront to the Socialists of this country. The circumstance, too, that he was willing to render the proceedings of the Congress ridiculous by his farcical voting single-handed for the nation of Australia gives one the "creeps."
Otherwise the Congress was admirable. The sincerity and faithfulness of the delegates was evident from first to last. Substantial international agreement and sympathy were established, and a united step taken towards Socialism.
A large portion of delegates didn't turn up to the public meeting in Queen's Hall on Thursday night. There was, however, a good attendance of the general public in the galleries. James Mawdsley occupied the chair, and Greulich, a Swiss delegate, made the first speech. Greulich, one of the old warriors — grey beard, hair, clothes, all grey — spoke with spasmodic diction and great earnestness and effect. Jaurès followed with one of his most dramatic efforts, emphasising the political importance of the Socialist movement. Referring to trade-unionism he made a delightful simile, comparing the old trade-unionists to Westminster Abbey. Unfortunately J. H. Wilson, M.P., who followed with a well-delivered speech, took up the simile as if it were meant in sarcasm by Jaurès — a fact which lent heat to his words and considerable interruption from the audience. The bell was used freely by the chairman, and what promised to be a fine effort dwindled into a local speech.
Millerand, Bebel, Liebknecht, and Ferri also contributed memorable speeches. A A male-voice choir rendered several part songs during the evening.