German Social Democratic Reichstag fraction
The letter of our. executive committee asked: “At what International Congress has the German Social Democratic Reichstag-fraction been appointed as European party justice?”
After this letter had been read in the Congress Singer declared that the “Fraction” never had the slightest intention to interfere with the interior quarrels of any party abroad. “The committee of the party, at the request of some Dutch comrades, merely sent £102 10s. for the support of their press. That was only a proof of international solidarity, against which it is impossible to complain.”
“But we who have met with the bitterest animosity of the German Social Democratic Party ; we who during the last years have never found the information of the Berlin Vorwarts concerning the Socialist movement in Holland true, or seen in it an appreciative word concerning our party ; we who are constantly referred to in the German party papers as ‘braggarts,’ feel justified to call the attention of the assembled delegates of international Labour to this inexcusable interference with the affairs of our organisation, and to protest against it. German тйиэисе is exerted even to-day in favour of the seceders, and it is the fault of the German Social Democratic Party and of the editors of their papers that our comrades consider every German Social Democrat as a caluminator of the Dutch Socialist movement, a briber, and an intriguer. Can conduct productive of such results be considered likely to advance the feeling of international brotherhood amongst the workers?”
As the Zwolle resolution had been deemed too binding, and was being misunderstood, the next Congress of the party at the Hague in 1895 adopted the following, which is still binding on the party :,•,”.;
“In consideration that it is absurd to lay down binding rules dealing with questions of tactics which can only be settled as circumstances arise; in consideration that our methods of propaganda depend to a large extent on the conduct of our opponents ; in consideration that participation in or abstention from voting is, after all, only a qustion of utility; in consideration that the greatest danger to the success of the Socialist movement consists in participation in the so-called constructive work of parliament, and consequently that it is wrong to participate in the elections for that purpose; that no money from the party treasury be expended for electioneering purposes.”
Recent Entries
- British section
- The split in the feench section
- Parliamentary Socialist and Bourgeois Radical Congress
- German Social Democratic Reichstag fraction
- Dutch report, socialist league
- United States of America
- Switzerland
- Report on Fabian Policy
- Fabian democracy
- Fabian constitutionalism